Are noise-cancelling headphones to blame for young people's hearing problems?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Are noise-cancelling headphones to blame for young people's hearing problems?


Image caption, Sophie says her anxiety peaks if she is in a loud environment and not wearing her headphones to limit the noise

Author, Hannah Karpel
Role, BBC News, health reporter
16 February 2025, 00:00 GMT

Whether it's the echo of beeping tills in a supermarket or the hissing of a coffee machine in your local café, the brain is constantly working to decode hundreds of noises each day.

But, for some, those background noises can become so overwhelming that they distract them from recognising voices or alerts.

This is the reality for Sophie, a 25-year-old administration assistant from London, who is used to being told she doesn't listen, zones out, or is "a bit ditsy".

"Even though I can hear that there are noises going on, I can't listen to where the noise is coming from. I know it's the person's voice, I just can't really compute it quick enough," she said.

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[CrispyQ]

1. That was fascinating!

Thanks for posting!