When it comes to earphone or headphone hearing loss, simply wearing them isn’t the problem. If your volume is too high and you listen for a long time, you could be causing harm.

Noise adds up, especially if you use headphones or earphones for music, podcasts, calls, and workouts all day long.

Read on for safe listening tips to limit loud noise and help with hearing protection.

Can Earphones Cause Hearing Loss?

Your earphones can put you in danger of hearing loss when the sound is too loud for too long.

Sound travels through the ear canal to the eardrum. This causes the eardrum to vibrate. Three tiny bones in the middle ear pass those vibrations to the inner ear.

The vibrations then reach the cochlea, a small, fluid-filled structure in the inner ear. Thousands of tiny hair cells inside the cochlea move in response to sound. This creates electrical signals that tell the brain what you're hearing — music, voices, and more.

Loud sounds can damage the hair cells in your cochlea that help you hear. These cells don't grow back. Repeated or intense noise exposure can permanently damage your hearing.

How to Use Earphones Safely

There are ways to protect hearing with earbuds so you can still use them every day.

Start with these tips on preventing earphone hearing loss:

  • Comfortable fit — If your earphones don't fit, you may turn up sound to make up for it. Find ones that fit you well.

  • Listening time — Longer listening sessions mean more exposure to sound.

  • Lower volume — Higher sound levels can damage your hearing more quickly. Keep the volume at a comfortable level.

  • Other noise — Concerts, power tools, and sporting events add to your total noise exposure.

  • Quieter surroundings — Background noise may cause you to turn up the volume. Quieter settings can help you hear your audio clearly.

  • Taking breaks — Take a quiet break at least once an hour during long listening sessions. Remove your earphones for several minutes to give your ears time away from sound.

If you’ve already spent time around loud noise, be alert to any hearing changes to detect earbud hearing damage. Reduce your listening time further and take more breaks.

Remember that breaks reduce your overall sound exposure, but they don't make loud listening safe.

Are noise-canceling headphones better for safe listening?

Use noise-canceling headphones in noisy places. This way, you don’t have to turn up the volume to hear your audio. They are helpful on airplanes, during public transport, or in other loud environments.

Noise cancellation doesn't make loud audio safe. You still need to keep the volume at a lower level to prevent hearing loss.

What Is a Safe Volume for Earphones?

Decibels (dB) measure sound intensity. Keep your earphone volume below 80 dB when possible. Sound at or above 85 dB can damage your hearing if you're exposed to it for too long. The higher the decibel level, the more damage.

Here’s how decibel levels compare:

  • 60 dB — Normal conversation.

  • 70 dB — Washing machine or dishwasher.

  • 80 to 85 dB — Heavy traffic or a noisy restaurant.

  • 95 dB — Motorcycle or a nearby subway train.

  • 100 dB — Some sporting events or loud entertainment venues.

  • 110 dB or higher — Some concerts or sirens at close range.

Your ears adjust to loud sounds. A volume that seems loud at first may begin to feel normal. In fact, music played at full volume through earphones can reach 94 to 110 dB — about as loud as a motorcycle or concert.

Set your volume at a comfortable level when you start listening and resist turning it up. If your audio becomes harder to hear, take a break or move somewhere quieter.

Different devices produce different sound levels, even at the same volume setting. Use audio monitoring to check your sound exposure.

How Long Should You Wear Earphones?

You can wear earphones for several hours if you keep the sound at a safe level. The louder you listen, the shorter your safe listening time becomes.

At 80 dB, adults can listen for up to 40 hours per week. At 90 dB, that time drops to about four hours per week. At 100 dB, it drops to about 20 minutes.

Instead of setting a daily limit for earphone use, focus on the sound level. Especially if you use earphones throughout the workday, during your commute, or for entertainment. Lower volumes let you listen longer.

What Are the Signs of Hearing Damage?

Hearing damage can cause changes in how clearly you hear sounds and understand speech. Signs of hearing damage include:

  • Higher volumes — Needing to turn up the TV, phone, or other devices more than before.

  • Repeated questions — Frequently asking people to repeat themselves.

  • Speech difficulties — Trouble telling similar speech sounds apart.

  • Trouble in crowds — Difficulty following conversations with background noise.

  • Trouble with high sounds — Difficulty hearing higher-pitched voices or sounds.

When Should You Have Your Hearing Checked?

Contact your health care team if ringing or muffled hearing doesn't go away. Or if you have trouble hearing conversations, higher-pitched sounds, or speech in noisy places.

Pay attention to how you hear after using earphones. Hearing changes after a listening session can signal too much sound exposure. Give your ears time away from loud noise and watch for repeating problems.