A generation of music fans face suffering from “iPod-itis”
16 I 02 I 11
A generation of music fans are
putting their hearing at risk, becoming emotionally attached to
their iPod and developing ‘iPod-itis’ by listening to their
favourite tunes at full volume.
Dr Tony Kay, senior chief
audiologist at Liverpool hospital, has coined the term iPod-itis
and warns that these are the people who risk going deaf in later
life. “We all have emotional attachment to our music players but if
music lovers are not careful this sustained exposure could
eventually lead to complete hearing loss” he said.
Following National Tinnitus
Awareness Week, Dr Kay says he is alarmed by the number of young
people suffering from tinnitus because of high levels of exposure
to loud music.
Kevin McCarthy, an expert in
hearing loss claims at Hugh James solicitors, says “As a rough
calculation, if you can hear the sound from insert style ear phones
then the wearer is damaging their hearing.”
“At Hugh James we represent a large
number of clients across the UK who have hearing damage as a result
of equipment at work. We are currently working with over 400
British Telecom engineers who are suffering tinnitus and even
hearing loss through using particular equipment in the 1970’s and
1980’s.”
Peter Evans, partner and expert in
personal injury at Hugh James adds “It’s not just people like the
BT engineers who suffer years later. The music industry has high
profile examples of what can happen with prolonged exposure to loud
music. Peter Townsend, the force behind The Who is very public
about his hearing loss. Today a number of bands, touring companies
and others actually wear protection either inside or outside the
ear to help avoid hearing problems later in life.”
“It’s a worrying trend that more
and more young people are experiencing tinnitus and hearing loss
because they have been exposed to music that is too loud.”
According to the British Tinnitus
Association, around ten per cent of the adult population currently
suffer from tinnitus all the time.