Noise-canceling headphones offer a tech bro’s solution to the world of sound. They deem everything in your natural environment as “noise” that

The Quiet Danger of Noise-Canceling Headphones

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2024-04-18 00:30:04

Noise-canceling headphones offer a tech bro’s solution to the world of sound. They deem everything in your natural environment as “noise” that can be canceled out, allowing you to purely listen to your devices. The technology is generally considered good for your ears by reducing the overall noise levels you’re exposed to. But even though noise-canceling headphones are good for our hearing, it’s a myth that the technology is entirely good for us.

Online forums are full of people complaining about ear pain , nausea , and headaches from noise-canceling headphones. These forums largely share the same conspiracy theory: that active noise canceling (ANC) is dangerous because it puts harmful pressure on your eardrum. However, that’s not quite right either. According to David McAlpine, the academic director of Macquarie University Hearing, there’s a simpler explanation: not hearing your environment is unnatural.

McAlpine says noise-canceling headphones lower the volume that reaches your ears, which is a good thing for your hearing. Using ANC likely means you don’t have to drown out background noise by listening to music at high volumes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says listening to loud sounds for long periods can lead to hearing impairment .