Audiologist explains ANC, earbud features and hearing health

Dr. Rachel Artsma, lead audiologist at Hear.com, says noise exposure can damage the tiny hair cells in the inner ear. Loud sounds, long exposure, or both can flatten these cells, and damaged hair cells do not stand back up, she explains in an interview with TechRadar.

Ringing in the ears, muffled hearing, dizziness and buzzing can be warning signs after noise exposure. Artsma says these symptoms can sometimes reverse, but hearing damage can also be permanent. She recommends getting hearing checked when these signs occur.

Artsma welcomes hearing tests and profiles in consumer earbuds as a way to raise awareness, but says they are not a replacement for professional hearing care. She recommends a full diagnostic evaluation to establish a person’s hearing status. For people being treated for hearing loss, she says wearing hearing aids throughout waking hours is important for the brain.

On active noise cancellation (ANC), Artsma says it typically reduces noise by 20dB. Whether that is enough to make surrounding sound inaudible depends on how loud the sound is to begin with. The interview also discusses taking regular listening breaks, comparing them with breaks from screen use, though the provided article text ends before Artsma’s comments on that point.