Thousands of people in the digital music generation are on their way to becoming deaf, warns Minister for Hearing Services, Julie Bishop.

The Minister is calling on music fans to turn down their headphone MP3 players and limit their listening hours, or potentially suffer the consequences of the worst hearing damage sustained by any peacetime Australian generation.

"Many digital music devices can play at quite loud levels and often the listener is unaware of how loud it really is.

"On top of this, because music is enjoyable and thousands of songs can be recorded on a unit, people often play music at high volume for extended periods, perhaps using it to drown out the noise of traffic while they commute."

The amount of damage hazardous noise can cause to your hearing depends on the intensity (how loud it is) and how long you are exposed to it, explains Lyn Forby, Senior Speech Pathologist, NYP Health Service.

"It doesn't matter if it's pleasant noise, such as music, or not. (In a survey conducted by the National Acoustic Laboratories 1996-97, one-fifth of respondents thought music was less damaging than noise.)

"If you damage your hearing you can't get it back."

How loud is too loud?
Exposure to excessive noise levels can lead to symptoms such as dulled hearing, feeling full inside your ears or ringing, buzzing or high pitched noise in your ears (tinnitus), explains Lyn.

"These effects can disappear after a few hours, but prolonged or continual exposure to high noise levels can lead to permanent damage."

Preventing hearing loss is the way to go, says Lyn.

"Parents should monitor noise levels to which children are exposed - if you have to shout for a child or teen to hear you over their recreational activities (for example, listening to music through headphones), then the noise is too loud.

"Turn down the volume, or limit time exposed to loud noise.

"Set a good example, by wearing hearing protection when engaged in noisy activities, and be aware of hearing loss warning signs.

"Hearing loss can occur at any age. Most people are now aware of the need for skin protection and the importance of eye care for children, but hearing protection is also important. For more information visit www.hearingconservation.org."

By Fiona Rait