American Academy of Audiology, National Institute on Deafness and Other

•Do not turn the volume up to block out noisy surroundings. If you choose to listen to your portable device in a noisy environment, use noise-cancelling headphones to block out background environmental noise. By blocking background environment noise, noise cancelling headphones should allow you to hear the music at lower volumes than when using earbuds.

•Limit the amount of time you listen. As the volume increases, less time is required before you hearing could be affected.

•Avoid using headphones after exposure to extremely loud noises, such as rock concerts, that might cause temporary hearing loss. Temporary hearing loss might cause unsafe volumes to sound normal.

•Do not listen at any volume that causes you discomfort. If you experience ringing in your ears, hear muffled speech, or experience any temporary hearing difficulty after listening to your portable audio device, discontinue use and consult your doctor.

You can obtain additional information on this subject from the following sources: