Can You Hear Me Now?

Whether commuting or exercising, playing music or a podcast makes any activity more enjoyable. But constant use of headphones can cause permanent damage, and when you experience hearing loss from listening to lots of loud music in your teens, twenties, and thirties, you’re stuck with it, says professor Robert Sataloff, MD, chair of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at Drexel University College of Medicine.

- Jamie Spanfeller

Fortunately, anyone can prevent this—and listen as much as they want—by keeping their audio at or below 80 A-weighted decibels (DBA). Also, many smartphones will alert users to dangerous volumes or long hours. How to ensure happy ears for years:

Assess Your Automatic Audio Alerts