ASHA to Consumers: Use Personal Stereo Systems Wisely and Save Your Hearing

ASHA to Consumers: Use Personal Stereo Systems Wisely and Save Your Hearing

ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- With personal stereo systems topping many "wish lists" this holiday season and Apple reporting that it sold 22.5 million iPods in fiscal year 2005 -- an increase of 409% from 2004 -- the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is offering tips to enable consumers to avoid potential hearing damage from improper use of the systems.

Many users of personal stereo systems listen to their devices too long at too high of volumes.

"Anything over 85 decibels can damage one's hearing and most individuals are listening to their personal stereo systems at 110 to 120 decibels which can cause hearing loss," according to ASHA President Dolores E. Battle.

To avoid hearing loss, ASHA suggests that consumers do the following when using their personal stereo systems:

* keep the volume down
* wear headphones that isolate the wanted music from background noise;
headphones that fit over your ears are better than the ear buds (the
headphones that come with the players) that fit in your ears because
they block ambient noise
* wear earphones that isolate sound; they are available at music stores
and elsewhere
* limit the time listening to the MP3 Player and iPod

"Noise-induced hearing loss is cumulative, permanent, and preventable and by keeping the volume control number lowered on their personal stereo system, consumers can protect their hearing," Pam Mason, ASHA'S Director of Audiology, says.

Nearly 10 million Americans have hearing loss as a result of excess noise exposure, according to ASHA.

ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 120,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders. For more information about noise, hearing loss, and noise prevention, go to http://www.asha.org/ or 1-800-638-Talk.

Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

CONTACT: Doug Plesh of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association,
Office: +1-301-897-7349, Blackberry: +1-301-408-8862, or dplesh@asha.org

Web site: http://www.asha.org/

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