13-05-2010, 09:43
The tip of the earbud seals the ear canal and is closer to the eardrum than headphones, causing hearing loss by increasing the sound pressure levels. Permanent hearing damage, or sensorineural hearing loss, is caused by increasing stimulation of the inner ear. The cochlea, the inner ear structure responsible for hearing, contains about 15,000 tiny hair cells that are damaged through overstimulation.
"Anything that is small that can be fitted into the ear canal that nearly seals the ear canal is capable of delivering significantly more power and intensity than most other ways of delivering sounds," said Jerry Punch, an MSU audiology and speech sciences professor.
"Anything that is small that can be fitted into the ear canal that nearly seals the ear canal is capable of delivering significantly more power and intensity than most other ways of delivering sounds," said Jerry Punch, an MSU audiology and speech sciences professor.