The National Institutes of Health (NIH) said that further research is needed to determine whether portable music players and earbud headphones increase the risk of hearing loss. NIH commented on the issue in response to a lawmaker’s request for a review of hearing problems associated with iPod earbud usage.
Reuters reports: “Earbud headphones, like the ones typically used with iPods, project sound directly into the ear canal, while traditional earmuff-style headphones allow the sound to diffuse, the NIH said in a February 14 letter made available on Tuesday. The proximity of the source of the sound to the ears can contribute to hearing loss, but ‘more research is required to determine if a particular type (of earphone) increases the risk,’ said James Battey, director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.”
