Do noise-canceling headphones harm your hearing?

What is APD? are disorders in which the brain has difficulty processing sounds, especially in noisy environments. For example, it may be difficult for a child to make out the teacher’s voice against the background of noise in the classroom. APD is more common in neurodifferentiated people, including those on the autism spectrum.

How do noise canceling headphones work?

• Active noise reduction creates a sound wave opposite to the external noise and drowns it out.
• Passive insulation blocks noise due to the tight fit of the ear pads.

Such headphones are especially effective against constant noise (such as an airplane engine), but they do not cope well with variable sounds such as speech or street noise.

Can they harm your hearing? — not if used correctly. Noise-canceling headphones help you listen to music at a lower volume, reducing the risk of hearing damage. But they don’t protect you from loud noises like a lawn mower — you need special protective equipment for that.

Some believe that the frequent use of such headphones hinders the development of sound processing skills in a complex environment. But, as Dr. Portnuff points out, there is no scientific evidence for this theory. The frequency of APD is not increasing — it’s just that more information has become known about it.

How do I find out if you have an APD? — After a standard hearing test, special audio tests are performed to assess the ability to distinguish speech in noise or process rapid changes in sounds. Treatment includes hearing training programs, sometimes hearing aids and microphones for teachers or interviewees.

The main conclusion is that, according to the results of observations, noise—canceling headphones do not cause auditory processing disorders. When used correctly, they can even reduce the strain on the ears. The main thing is to control the volume level and not forget to develop sound perception skills in a real environment.