How Do Headphones Help with Hearing Loss?

Today, it is almost impossible to evade a noisy environment. Noise is everywhere, in sporting events, bustling city streets, concerts, etc. Our delicate ears have been exposed to so much noise that we are now worrying about what will happen if we fail to take care of them now. 

How can we take good care of our ears to avoid hearing loss in future? Use headphones. Not just headphones but noise-cancelling headphones.

So, how do headphones help with hearing loss?

They block out background noise, allowing you to keep the volume of your music or podcast down, which protects your hearing. Hearing loss can result from high volume when listening to music. One is advised to keep the volume of their electronic devices low.

With a noisy background, one always turns the music volume up, which damages your ears. When you wear noise-cancelling headphones, that background noise is blocked out, so you can listen to your music at a lower volume.

Do Noise-Cancelling Headphones Protect Hearing?

Yes, they do.  There are two types of headphones; passive noise-cancelling and active noise-cancelling headphones.

• Passive noise-cancelling (PNC) headphones use the materials they are made of to block the surrounding sound.  The design with ear cups acts as a seal to protect your ears from external noise.  They are very effective at blocking external background noise, such as loud and high pitch sounds. They are perfect for those working in noisy environmentswho still need communication, such as construction workers.
• Active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones rely on sound-matching technology that analyses ambient noise and generates a sound wave with the same amplitude but an inverse 180-degree phase to block the background sound. They are most effective where the background noise remains constant. They don’t protect you from sudden sounds like the passive noise-cancelling headphones.

Which Is Better?

Both headphones will protect your hearing depending on when and where you are. For example, PNC will be more suitable if you work at a construction site. The better version of noise-cancelling headphones has passive noise-cancelling features fitted with the active noise-cancelling technology.

Note: noise-cancelling headphones should not be worn outdoors. They can prevent you from hearing oncoming traffic, sirens and other warning signs that can lead to accidents.

At Attune, we offer a full range of medical hearing services. If you need custom earplugs, we’re your number one choice. You can also book a hearing test with us.