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WHO is concerned about hearing problems in young people
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
The World Health Organization has expressed concern about listening to loud music, which leads to hearing problems, especially at a young age. Recently, music at unsafe volumes is found not only in nightclubs, cafes, but also in cinemas, stadiums, and even sports centers. Modern technologies have now become widespread and are available to almost everyone, but they pose a particular danger to teenagers who, for example, use smartphones to listen to music and often at very high volumes, which threatens not only the development of hearing problems, but also complete hearing loss at a fairly young age.
According to the World Health Organization, more than one billion young people in the world may suffer from various hearing disorders as a result of listening to music at high volume. More than forty million people from 12 to 35 years old have obvious hearing problems, which over time can lead to disability.
About half of young people in the world prefer to listen to music using smartphones, players and other audio devices through headphones at very high volume, about 40% are exposed to high volume in entertainment clubs, cafes, discos, etc.
To preserve your hearing, WHO recommends limiting the volume level (optimally, if the volume level does not exceed 60% of the maximum values).
You can also use special protective earplugs for protection when visiting discos, entertainment clubs, cinemas, cafes and other places where the noise level may exceed the maximum permissible value.
When choosing headphones, you should give preference to models of headphones with a noise-cancelling function, which reduce background noise and make the sound clearer even at low volume levels.
It is important to take short breaks when in noisy places (cafes, night clubs, sporting events) to reduce the overall time of exposure to noise, for example, you can go outside or go to a quieter place.
In noisy places, it is best to avoid close proximity to the sound source. Choose places away from loudspeakers or speakers.
You should also limit the time you spend listening to music on audio devices using headphones.
Modern smartphones have special technology that allows you to measure the level of noise exposure and get information about the possible risks of developing hearing problems.
At the first sign of hearing problems, for example, if you have difficulty hearing certain sounds (for example, the doorbell or alarm clock), or have difficulty understanding speech during a telephone conversation or in crowded places, you should immediately seek help from a specialist.
It is important to have your hearing checked regularly to avoid problems in the future, as problems at an early stage of development are easier to treat and correct.