Whether it's listening to music or attending an online meeting, the use of earphones or headphones has become commonplace in today’s world, particularly among the youth. However, this prevalent listening habit is contributing to a rise in hearing issues among young individuals, including school and college students as well as working professionals, say health experts.

Dr Bakul Parulkar, consultant audiologist, speech and voice therapist at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai, highlights, “With the widespread availability of smartphones, music streaming platforms, and portable gaming devices, young people are spending extended hours with their headphones on —often at dangerously high volumes. Prolonged exposure to loud sounds, particularly above 85 decibels, is known to cause Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL).”

Symptoms such as ear pain, ringing (tinnitus), reduced hearing, and difficulty understanding speech are warning signs of NIHL.