Are Noise Cancelling Headphones Helpful for Preventing Hearing Loss

A cup of mild-hot coffee in your balcony with the sight of rain outside and winds splashing droplets of water over your face; is there any simple yet elegant thing other than this to make your day a cheerful one? But combine this scenario with a soothing melodious song playing over your headphones and you will keep longing every day for such times to come! That’s how powerful music is and so are the headphones which act as a medium between the worlds of your physical reality and the realm of music. The noise cancelling headphones are such an outstanding gift of technology to block out all the disturbances which prevent us from enjoying a song. No wonder people get tempted to wear them throughout the day. The entry of noise cancelling airpods took the experience of noise cancellation to a whole new level. 

However, you might have concerns regarding the safety of your ears when it comes to noise cancelling headphones. Prolonged use of poor-quality headphones is known to cause damaging effects on hearing ability. But noise cancelling headphones are on the next level, in terms of both technology and design. This article will clear your doubts once and for all regarding the question – do noise cancelling headphones damage hearing?

It is important to understand the mechanism of Noise Cancelling Headphones to prove their safety for the ears.

Mechanism of Noise Cancelling Headphones

Most of the headphones have PNC (Passive Noise Cancellation) technology. But genuine noise cancelling headphones have an ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) system. The system of ANC headphones cancels out the external sound through electronic manipulation.

The ANC system works in the following manner:

• The ambient noise around you is sampled by the miniature microphone of ANC headphones. If you are standing at the railway station, the microphone will capture the sound waves produced by the train engine arriving at the station. These soundwaves travel through the air at a particular frequency.

• The sampled audio is fed into the noise cancelling system of the headphones. Further, the audio is inverted by the system to produce a signal. This signal is exactly the opposite of its original and it  plays on the headphone speakers.

• When 2 signals are in opposition to one another, they are said to be in antiphase mode. There’s an occurrence of destructive interference when a pair of such signals collide. When the highest point of a frequency clashes with the lowest point of its opposite frequency, it leads to destructive interference which cancels out both frequencies. This results in a better-amplified signal. 

To sum it up, an ANC headphone generates opposing frequencies to eliminate the frequencies of the ambient noise in your surrounding, leading to silence. Such advanced technology makes an ANC headphone excellent at noise reduction than a PNC headphone. 

Sometimes, the effectiveness of an ANC headphone depends on how well the internal mechanisms were designed and integrated into them. You will find a noticeable difference while comparing a budget ANC headphone with a premium one. Overall, noise cancelling headphones are safe for the ears.

The Following are the Noise Cancelling Headphones Uses:

Reduces Low-frequency Sounds

When kids are exposed to continuous loud noise, they become prone to hearing damage. There are some noise cancellation headphones which provide additional hearing protection. Such headphones with volume limiters are specially designed for kids. When it comes to keeping low-frequency sounds in check, the mid-range ANC headphones prove to be the best. Some premium ANC headphones are capable of eliminating even middle frequencies. The noise cancelling headphone is a game-changer for individuals with sensitive hearing. With the noise canceling headphones hearing protection, your ears won’t suffer from a noisy environment.

Reduces Noise-related Stress

Noise-related stress not only disrupts our focus but also causes migraines, ulcers, and high blood pressure. Noise cancelling headphones are quite helpful for reducing noise-related stress as they will minimise your exposure to background noise.

The invention of ANC technology took place for protecting the hearing ability of pilots as they have to bear the harsh noise of the plane engine. Noise cancelling headphones are beneficial for pilots to decrease their noise-related stress and prevent hearing loss. 

When an individual wears noise cancelling headphones, the continuous low-frequency noises in the background are removed from the headphone. Even the rumble of the plane engine and the hum of machinery get eliminated. With such a significant reduction of noise, the individual experiences clear sound without feeling the need to raise the volume to a level that may damage the ears.

Prevents Tinnitus | Hearing Loss Noise Cancelling Headphones

The buzzing sound or continuous ringing in the ears is called Tinnitus. This disorder can affect any individual, no matter what their age is. If anything interferes with the sensitive interiors of the ears or damages them from within, it leads to the triggering of Tinnitus.

Good quality ANC headphones are recommended for preventing Tinnitus as well as for people already suffering from Tinnitus. The ambient noise cancelling ability of such headphones is effective for reducing the need for an individual to increase the volume when present in noisy surroundings. Hence, noise cancelling headphones are good for reducing tinnitus episodes and even for preventing them.

Word of Caution 

It has become second nature to wear our headphones while going out for a walk. But wearing your headphones, especially noise cancelling ones, in such cases can be dangerous for you. It will increase your chances of facing an accident as you won’t be able to recognize danger easily due to your noise canceling headphones. So, you must avoid wearing your noise canceling earphones in crowded areas.

Final Words:

Headphones have become a tool for enhancing enjoyment while listening to music and playing games. Utmost care must be taken to not allow such enjoyment to damage our ears. Using noise canceling headphones is effective in preventing hearing loss. We hope you make use of =noise canceling headphones to enjoy your favorite music without risking yourself to hearing disorders6