MP3 PLAYER SPARK RISE IN HEARING PROBLEMS

MP3 players are leading to more hearing problems in young people, with damage to the inner ear now registered in one in five 16 to 20 year olds. German doctors warned.
Hearing problems usually associated with old age are now being noticed in people as young as 20, the german association of ear, nose and throat specialists (HNO) said.
Under European union ruls the maximum volume for portable audio devices is 100 decibels, but the HNO warned this is too loud. In workplaces employees are required to ear protectors when noise levwls are 85 decibels, they said. The association called on makers of the devices to behave more responsibly and clearly inform their customers of the health dangers of listening to music too loudly.
Even it has been studied that sharing of earphones is alos hazardious as it leads to propagation of bacteria from one user to another.