Pssst: Tips for safe listening

Chicago Tribune (MCT) - When using personal listening devices, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends turning the volume down, limiting listening time to an hour a day and taking frequent listening breaks. Here are more tips from ASHA and audiologist Dennis Burrows.

If you have a 10-notch scale, keep the setting at 6 or below.

If someone can hear earphone "leakage" from several feet away, it's too loud.

If your ears are ringing or feel "full" or if speech sounds muffled, the music was too loud.

iPods now include software that allow you to "lock" the volume at a safe level. Parents can set a combination that kids can't crack.

Upgrade from earbuds to headphones that fit outside the ear and block out unwanted sound. Earbuds don't eliminate background noise, which means listeners tend to crank up the volume dangerously high. Try Shure at shure.com for sound-isolating or noise-canceling headphones.

To find out what volume settings go above 85 decibels _ the safe listening level _ go to asha.org/about/news/2006/techdamage.htm.

If you have an Apple iPod or iShuffle, http://support.apple.com/kb/TA38403?viewlocale=en_US allows you to download a software update so you can set the volume limit of your iPod to a safe level.

If you know an audiologist, ask him or her to assess the volume settings of the MP3 player using a sound level meter.

Do not use your MP3 player as hearing protection when mowing a lawn or working around noise.

___

© 2008, Chicago Tribune.