Are Noise-Canceling Headphones Harmful? Insights from Audiologists

If you use noise-canceling headphones for extended periods and have noticed changes in your hearing, you’re not alone.

Audiologists in the UK have raised concerns about the potential impact of noise-canceling headphones on hearing, particularly among young people. The increasing number of hearing-related issues has prompted experts to call for further research into the long-term effects of noise-suppressing technologies and devices.

Read also: Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro review: great sound and high-quality noise cancellation

Audiologists sound the alarm

The echo of cash registers in supermarkets or the hiss of an espresso machine in a café—our brains are constantly working to decode hundreds of sounds each day. However, for some, these background noises can become so overwhelming that they distract them from recognizing voices or notifications. This is the reality for Sophie, a 25-year-old administrative assistant from London, who is often told she isn’t listening, is zoning out, or is “a bit out of it.”

“Even if I hear some noise happening, I can’t tell where it’s coming from. I know it’s a person’s voice, but I just can’t pinpoint it fast enough,” she said. Sophie sought help from a private audiologist for further testing. Ultimately, she was diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)—a neurological condition in which the brain struggles to understand sounds and spoken words.

Her audiologist, along with other specialists in the UK, is calling for further research to determine whether this condition is linked to excessive use of noise-canceling headphones. Sophie grew up in a rural area and only noticed changes in her hearing a few years ago, when she moved to London for university. Specifically, she began to struggle with identifying where sounds were coming from. She rarely attended lectures in person; instead, she watched them online with subtitles. The exact cause of Sophie’s APD remains unknown, but her audiologist believes that her frequent use of noise-canceling headphones, which she wears for up to five hours a day, may have played a role.

Other audiologists agree with this view, emphasizing the need for more research on the potential long-term effects of prolonged use of noise-canceling headphones. Five audiology departments from the National Health Service (NHS) reported to BBC that there has been an increase in the number of young people referred to them by general practitioners with hearing issues. However, upon examination, their hearing was found to be normal, while their ability to process sound was impaired.

What further confounds specialists is that APD is typically associated with neurodivergent individuals or those who have had brain injuries or ear infections during childhood. However, more and more patients with APD do not fall into these categories, leading audiologists to question whether external factors, such as noise-canceling headphones, might be contributing to this condition.

How does noise reduction work?

There are two main types of noise cancellation: active and passive. Passive noise cancellation uses the physical design and materials of the headphones to create a barrier that reduces ambient noise. This method, similar to earplugs, involves thick padding and tightly sealed ear cups that block out external sounds, effectively isolating the listener’s ears from the environment, improving sound clarity without the need for electronic intervention.

Active noise cancellation technology works by using tiny microphones built into the headphones. These microphones listen to the sounds around you. Then, the headphones generate a new sound that is the opposite of the noise. This new sound is called “anti-noise.” When the anti-noise mixes with the incoming noise, they cancel each other out. This process is known as “destructive interference.” It’s similar to how two waves in the ocean meet and smooth out each other. The result is a much quieter environment, allowing you to hear music or silence more clearly.

Practices that lead to risk

• Listening at high volumes: Regularly listening to music or any audio at high volumes can gradually damage the delicate structures inside the ears, leading to hearing loss over time.
• Prolonged use: Wearing headphones for extended periods without breaks increases the risk of hearing damage, as your ears are exposed to continuous sound.
• Ignoring early signs of hearing loss: Overlooking symptoms such as ringing in the ears after using headphones can worsen the condition.
• Lack of volume control: The absence of built-in volume-limiting features on devices can lead to listening at levels that may become harmful over time.

While noise-canceling headphones can significantly improve listening quality by reducing background noise, it is important to use them responsibly to avoid potential harm to hearing.

Read also: OPPO Enco Air3 Pro Review: Mid-budget TWS Earbuds with Premium Sound

Hearing vs. listening

Renée Almeida, the head of the adult audiology clinic at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, emphasizes the importance of hearing a variety of sounds to help the brain decide what to focus on. Over the past year, her team has noticed an increase in young people seeking hearing services. She stated, “There is a difference between hearing and listening. We are seeing listening skills suffer.”

Noise-canceling headphones offer benefits, particularly for long-term ear health, as their sound isolation function can prevent high-frequency and loud noises from entering the ear and causing damage—even while listening to music.

Lisa Barber, editor of the technology section at Which? magazine, notes that these devices have “exploded in popularity” in recent years. However, the level of transparency can vary from model to model. “Some only offer passive noise cancellation, where an acoustic padding between the headphones and ears reduces ambient noise,” she explains. “Others feature a transparency mode, which allows some background noise to be heard.”

Read also: OneOdio Focus A5 Headphones Review

False reality?

However, Claire Benton, vice president of the British Academy of Audiology, suggests that by blocking out everyday sounds, such as car horns, the brain may “forget” how to filter noise. “You’ve almost created this false environment by wearing headphones and only listening to what you want to hear. You don’t have to work at it,” she explained.

“These more complex, higher-level listening skills in your brain don’t fully develop until late adolescence. So, if you wore noise-canceling headphones and lived in this false world until your late teens, you’re somewhat delaying your ability to process speech and noise,” Benton advises.

A 2024 UK-wide survey conducted by the BAA and ENT UK, a professional organization representing ear, nose, and throat surgery, found that only 4% of audiologists consider themselves well-informed about APD.

For those aged 16 and older, the Royal National ENT Hospital in Eastman is the only NHS institution in England that offers a full APD assessment, with a waiting list of nine months. Professor Doris-Eva Bamiyu, who conducts the assessments there, explains that the long wait is partly due to the time required for diagnosing APD. “It’s an expensive service because it’s not just an audiogram; the test can take up to two hours and requires additional evaluations. For adults, I also refer them for a cognitive assessment, and for children, I refer them to a psychologist.”

Especially after the pandemic, behavior and interactions with visual and audio materials have changed. This shift is partly due to new products and technologies, as well as increased anxiety in noisy environments following the lockdown.

Read also: Tectonic Shifts in AI: Is Microsoft Betting on DeepSeek?

Impact on adolescents

At Great Ormond Street Hospital in the UK, there has been an increased demand for assessments of children who struggle to hear certain words in noisy environments. It’s now common to see people walking outside wearing noise-canceling headphones, watching online videos with subtitles, despite having no issue hearing the sound. A YouGov survey revealed that 61% of young people aged 18-24 prefer watching TV with subtitles enabled.

Dr. Angela Alexander, an audiologist and owner of the private organization APD Support, is among those calling for further research into the impact of noise-canceling headphones on auditory processing, particularly in children. “What will the future look like if we don’t explore this connection? Many parents and teachers believe that the solution to children’s noise-related difficulties is simply wearing earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.”

Dr. Amjad Mahmood, head of audiology at Great Ormond Street Hospital, has supported the call for further research. He noted a “significant increase in demand” for assessments at the hospital’s large APD clinic for children under 16, “particularly in relation to difficulties observed in school.”

Treating hearing difficulties can lead to significant improvements, and some patients may fully recover. So-called “word-in-noise” training exercises, available in mobile apps, have become a popular way to practice distinguishing speech from background noise. However, training methods can vary and may also include auditory discrimination exercises, such as differentiating between similar-sounding words like “seventy” and “seventeen.”

Microphones and low-gain hearing aids can also be provided to assist patients in specific situations, such as meetings or classroom settings. However, adults who are not part of the education system are not eligible for these devices through the National Health Service.

“Right now, I can hear a fan running above my head, but my brain tells me it’s not something I need to worry about,” says Dr. Alexander, describing what is known as auditory scene analysis. “This is how we identify threats in our environment, so it seems logical to me that anxiety levels would increase if a person’s brain no longer receives those input signals that help distinguish what is cause for concern and what is not.”

To improve the situation, Dr. Alexander suggests reducing headphone usage time, enabling transparency mode to amplify background noise, and wearing headphones that do not completely cover the ears.

Read also: Mazda CX-30 SPORT BLACK Review – What Can a Compact SUV Do?

How to prevent hearing damage?

To minimize the risk of hearing damage when using noise-canceling headphones, it’s important to follow a few best practices. Adhering to these guidelines not only helps protect your hearing but also enhances your overall listening experience:

• Set safe volume limits. To protect your hearing, it’s important to keep the volume at a safe level. A good rule of thumb is to set the volume to no more than 60% of the maximum. This can help prevent exposure to harmful noise levels that could lead to hearing loss.
• Take regular breaks. Listening to audio for extended periods can strain your ears. It’s essential to take breaks every hour to give your ears a rest. This can reduce the risk of ear fatigue and long-term damage.
• Use noise-canceling features wisely. Take advantage of noise-canceling features to lower the volume. By reducing background noise, you can listen more clearly without needing to increase the volume.
• Monitor your listening habits. Pay attention to how long and how often you use your headphones. Using apps or features that track your listening habits can help you stay aware of your sound exposure and make adjustments as needed.
• Choose the right fit. Make sure your headphones fit properly and provide a good seal. A proper fit can improve the effectiveness of noise cancellation, allowing you to enjoy sound at lower volume levels.
• Check for signs of hearing loss. Pay attention to any signs of hearing loss, such as tinnitus or difficulty understanding speech. If you notice any changes, it’s important to consult a hearing specialist for advice.

Conclusions

Wayne Wilson, an associate professor at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Queensland, states that more research is needed on the potential connection. However, he notes that conducting a controlled study with so many variables may be challenging. “The devil is in the details, as the answer is likely dependent on factors such as the types of sounds, scenes, noise, noise cancellation, duration of noise cancellation, the child’s age, and so on.”

Read also: Panama Canal: History of Its Construction and Basis of U.S. Claims

As the use of noise-canceling headphones becomes increasingly common, it is crucial to understand the potential long-term effects these devices may have on auditory development. While further research is needed to fully understand the connection between noise-canceling technology and Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), experts emphasize the importance of hearing a variety of sounds for healthy auditory processing. So, the next time you find yourself wearing noise-canceling headphones for an extended period, it might be a good idea to stop and take a break.

Sophie plans to begin treatment for her APD over the next few months and is looking forward to the future. “When my boyfriend and I go to a bar, sometimes we go earlier to avoid the noise. It’s nice to think that, after treatment, I might be able to handle livelier places a little better.”

Read also:

• What is DeepSeek and Why is Everyone Talking About It?
• ASUS TUF Gaming H1 Gen II Gaming Headset Review