When I was a teenager, mobile music was only achieved by walking around with a transistor radio held at my head. Then I was introduced to an Aiwa cassette recorder with headphones. The revelation of hearing the music in the centre of my head changed the quality of the sound and the way I experienced the music. It was literally like a light bulb going on inside my head.
Fast forward to 2017 and I have a pair of wireless headphones bluetoothed in to an iPod so I can listen to music while I run.
No doubting the quality or accessibility of my music, but I am increasingly concerned about the health of my hearing and ear health, so I asked our Chief Audiologist, Mark Williams for his advice about earphone use while I am running:
“Use earphones that are soft”
“While it is fantastic that music can be so accessible to us while on the move, our ears are there for listening out for danger and are part of the communication system with other people. So firstly, I would recommend using earphones that are soft, so they don’t rub up against your ear canal as this can cause ulcers which are very painful.”
“Choose a volume level that allows you to hear traffic”
“The music should also be kept at a level which still allows you to hear traffic noise or alerts from people nearby. Apart from the obvious safety aspect of this while on the move, the ears are not designed for very loud noise all the time and excessive noise at a high level will lead to damage, deafness and very often tinnitus.”
So I’m going to carry on with my running and music because that’s good for my overall wellbeing. But I am going to limit my earphone use and loudness.
If you are concerned about tinnitus, hearing loss or your overall general ear health, arrange an appointment with one of our expert audiologists online or call 0203 597 4988.
