Experts in the UK say an alarming number of young people are developing neurological issues potentially linked to the use of noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds.
Audiologists with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) say the number of young people referred for treatment has skyrocketed in recent months. While the demographic reportedly displays normal hearing, noise cancellation may be causing neurological problems, resulting in the brain having difficulty processing and differentiating sounds.
“There is a difference between hearing and listening. We can see that listening skills are suffering,” said Renee Almeida, an adult audiology clinical lead at Imperial College Healthcare NHS, per the Daily Mail.
Officially, the condition is known as auditory processing disorder (APD). It can result in difficulty following dialogue on TV since there are often accompanying sound effects or musical scores. Unfamiliar accents or fast talkers can also be difficult for people with APD to follow.
While it has long been thought to be related to childhood brain trauma, ear infections, or a faulty gene, experts now think devices like Apple AirPods could be to blame in certain instances. […]
— Read More: dallasexpress.com
