By MIRANDA C.R. WHITE
REDLANDS – Ear experts in Redlands say that people need to be careful with the earpieces for their new cell phones.
Because of traffic noise and other ambient noises, people turn the volume up on their devices, which could cause hearing damage.
The California law prohibiting use of hand-held cell phones while driving may make the roads safer, but doctors warn drivers using phones with earpieces to be careful of their hearing.
“There is a lot of ambient noise in a car, typically about 40 to 50 decibels, and most of us will unconsciously strain to hear, even with earpieces,” said Dr. John Arruda, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Redlands Community Hospital.
“So naturally, we turn up the volume as high as we can to make hearing easier and therein lies the danger.”
Arruda said the high volume could cause both acute and long-term hearing damage. He had other suggestions for using the new devices,so as to not damage one’s hearing.
“It’s better to use a microphone built into your car’s sound system or one that can be placed in the sun visor,” Arruda suggested.
Those who really need to use the earpiece should turn off the radio in the car and keep the windows rolled up to keep a lot of extra noise out, according to Dr. Frederick Jacobs, audiologist and ear, nose and throat specialist at Redlands Community Hospital.
“And keep the volume low enough to hear without straining,” Jacobs said.
Those who wear the earpiece inside the ear canal need to be sure it has no broken pieces. The pieces could hurt the skin inside the ear canal because the skin is very thin, according to Dr. Sharen Jeffries, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Redlands Community Hospital.
“Never push anything too far into the ear canal,” Jeffries said.
All three doctors said it is important to see a doctor if hearing is difficult with an earpiece.
E-mail Staff Writer Miranda C.R. White at [email protected]
(c) 2008 Redlands Daily Facts. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
Comments