Video gamers worldwide may be risking irreversible hearing loss and/or tinnitus—persistent ringing/buzzing in the ears—finds a systematic review of the available evidence, published in the open access journal BMJ Public Health.
What evidence there is suggests that the sound levels reported in studies of more than 50,000 people often near, or exceed, permissible safe limits, conclude the researchers.
And given the popularity of these games, greater public health efforts are needed to raise awareness of the potential risks, they urge.
While headphones, earbuds, and music venues have been recognized as sources of potentially unsafe sound levels, relatively little attention has been paid to the effects of video games, including e-sports, on hearing loss, say the researchers.
I don’t hear any ringing when I wear the headphones, it’s only quiet times that it’s noticeable. My motivation is largely due to ADHD, I’m more sensitive to noise than average and it’s a major source of distraction for me. Open offices in particular are horrible for productivity. Driving is also way less fatiguing without road noise.
Then our experiences in life have been different
The feeling of being removed from a noisy environment is quite blissful. Like slaking a thirst, it’s immediately satisfying.