Just as too much screen time is quietly straining young eyes, another invisible threat is steadily affecting the ears of India’s youth. The growing habit of listening to music, podcasts, and work calls through earphones and headphones—often at high volumes and for long hours—is now emerging as a serious public health concern.
Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, have warned that noise-induced hearing loss, once associated largely with factories and aging, is increasingly being seen among young adults and even teenagers.
What makes the trend worrying is its silent nature. Unlike sudden injuries, hearing damage caused by prolonged exposure to loud sound develops gradually. Many fail to recognize the early signs until the loss becomes significant—and irreversible.
Dr. Kapil Sikka, Professor of ENT at AIIMS, Delhi, explained that hearing decline due to continuous exposure to loud sounds often progresses slowly, making it difficult to detect in its early stages. The damage, he emphasized, cannot be reversed—but it can certainly be prevented.
The concern stems from everyday habits. Some young people keep earphones plugged in for hours—during commutes, workouts, study sessions, and even while sleeping. Others depend on them for professional reasons, attending long virtual meetings or calls, often at unsafe volume levels. According to Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Head of the Department of ENT, the key lies in moderation.
To prevent hearing damage, he advised that personal audio devices should be used at less than 60 percent of their maximum volume, and listening should not exceed about 60 minutes at a stretch. “The higher the noise level, the shorter should be the duration of exposure to avoid hearing loss. This will prevent a cumulative hearing loss burden,” Dr. Kumar said.
Dr. Poonam Sagar, Assistant Professor of ENT, stressed that awareness about preventable causes of hearing loss—particularly recreational noise exposure and overuse of personal listening devices—must be strengthened. She cautioned that using earphones or headphones at high volumes can negatively impact hearing ability over time.
Several studies suggest that listening at more than 60 percent of a device’s maximum volume significantly increases the risk of hearing damage. Dr. Sagar recommended following the widely accepted “60/60 rule”—listening at no more than 60 percent volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time.
“Daily use is fine if the volume stays safe and ears are given time to rest,” she advised. “Ideally, one should take a 15- to 20-minute break for every hour of use.”
She reiterated that the risk rises directly with noise intensity. Continuous listening without breaks does not give the delicate hair cells inside the inner ear time to recover. Over months and years, this repeated strain can permanently reduce hearing sensitivity.
Traditionally, age-related hearing decline was observed after 50. However, doctors are now seeing a noticeable reduction in hearing ability beginning in the early 40s. Excessive and unsafe use of personal audio devices is believed to be one of the major contributors to this shift.
Early warning signs should not be ignored, said the doctors. Dr. Kumar pointed out that difficulty understanding conversations, especially in crowded or noisy places, struggling to hear clearly on phone calls, or experiencing ringing or whistling sounds in the ears—known as tinnitus—may signal the beginning of hearing damage.
Beyond hearing loss, prolonged earphone use can also cause other problems. Dr. Sikka added that wearing them for extended periods can trap heat and moisture in the ear canal, increasing the risk of infections. They may also push earwax deeper inside, sometimes causing temporary hearing blockage.
