We live in an increasingly noisy world, and many people are turning to noise-canceling headphones to avoid loud sounds. However, some audiologists worry that regularly blocking out ambient sounds may have a negative impact on the brain's ability to process audio efficiently. The problem is related to a condition called auditory processing disorder (APD), in which the brain has difficulty interpreting sounds and speech, even if a person's hearing is technically normal.
People with auditory processing disorders often have difficulty locating the direction of sounds or focusing on specific sounds in noisy environments. APD is often associated with brain damage, ear infections, and neurodiversity. However, audiologists in the UK reported to the BBC that a growing number of cases in teenagers do not appear to be linked to these common risk factors. Their theory is that excessive use of noise-canceling headphones may delay normal hearing development.
One such case is Sophie, 25, an administrative assistant who was diagnosed with APD last year because she had difficulty understanding speech. Her audiologist believes her habit of using noise-canceling headphones for up to five hours a day may be a trigger. Without subtitles, she found that speeches and lectures often turned into "gibberish."
Claire Benton, deputy director of the British Academy of Hearing, told the publication that isolating yourself in a noise-free environment during a critical period of brain development may hinder the maturation of complex hearing skills. Simply put, if all you listen to is music or podcasts, your brain may start to forget how to tune out unimportant background noise.
"The more complex, higher-level listening skills in the brain only really develop in the late teens," she suggests.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), some hearing departments in the British National Health Service (NHS) are reporting that an increasing number of young people are being referred for hearing problems, only to find that their ears are functioning normally. What's the real problem? Their brains have trouble processing noise effectively.
Unfortunately, resources for the assessment and treatment of APD are extremely limited within the public healthcare system in England. Currently, only one NHS hospital offers a comprehensive diagnostic service, and patients have to wait nine months. Part of the bottleneck is that assessing APD is time-consuming, sometimes requiring more than two hours of testing and additional cognitive assessments.
Should you ditch your AirPods Max? Maybe not. Noise reduction technology still plays an important role in preventing hearing loss caused by long-term exposure to loud sounds. The report highlights the risks of overuse of noise-cancelling products among young people, especially teenagers, as their advanced listening skills are still developing.
For them, audiologists emphasize maintaining a balance because allowing their ears to regularly experience natural, noise-free environments is critical to maintaining effective sound filtering capabilities.