Over half of iPod users could face deafness

Will you be swapping your ear plugs for a hearing aid?

Loud music levels might blank out the outside world, but they might also be blanking out your ability to hear in later life. Well, according to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) anyway.

It found that two thirds of people tested played their MP3 players at levels which can cause hearing loss, that's at a level over 85 decibels if you're interested. The RNID also found that 54 per cent of users were listening to their devices at dangerously high volumes for longer than the four hour recommended daily limit.

The research is backed up by the World Health Organisation, which claims continued exposure to such volume will lead to permanent hearing damage. As well as hearing loss, loud noise can also cause tinnitus, memory loss and raised blood pressure. A US class action against Apple can only be a matter of days away.

The RNID recommends that listeners take a five minute rest every hour to allow their ears to recover and warns that they should be careful of turning up the volume to drown out roadworks or busy street noise. Or to sum it up more succinctly, use common sense.