Do headphones or earbuds increase your risk of hearing loss?

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Written by:
June 1, 2025

Yes. Listening with headphones or earbuds at a moderate volume can damage your hearing over time. Ears can be damaged by the loudness of a noise but also by the length of exposure. Louder noises cause hearing damage much faster than quieter ones, but quiet ones can still cause damage over time. For example, iPod earbuds at 100% volume on an iPhone can hit noise levels of 112dB for the wearer, leading to hearing damage in minutes. The same earbuds at 60% volume measure approximately 80 dB, which makes them safe to listen to for several hours.

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Do headphones or earbuds increase your risk of hearing loss?

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Blog length:
 min read
Published:
April 17, 2023
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