From honking traffic to building works and thumping music, our world is increasingly becoming a noisier place by the minute. To combat this, noise-canceling headphones have grown in popularity as a welcome retreat from the continuous cacophony of sound.

But while these devices mute out disturbing noise, some experts warn that they are potentially influencing the way our brains explain sound. Audiologists have expressed alarm that extensive use of noise-canceling headphones may damp the brain's inherent capacity for filtering out background noise—potentially causing hearing problems.

How do noise-cancelling headphones affect your brain?

Noise-canceling headphones are engineered to reduce ambient sounds so that users can only hear the sound they prefer. Although this is helpful in noisy settings, audiologists in the UK's National Health Services (NHS) warn that too much dependence on these headphones could lead to auditory processing problems.

Experts cite an increase in young people suffering from what seems to be hearing loss, but on closer inspection, their hearing is normal. The actual issue is with the brain's efficiency in processing sound, a condition referred to as Auditory Processing Disorder (APD).

APD is caused when the brain is unable to differentiate between sound and background noise, which means it is hard to hear people talking, catch rapid speech, or hear accents. People with APD find it hard to talk in loud places, and this affects their social and work lives.

Are we losing our 'listening skills'?

APD has traditionally been attributed to factors like ear infections, childhood head injuries, or inherited conditions. But new cases point to excessive use of noise-cancelling headphones as well.

Renee Almeida, a clinical lead for adults at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, puts it this way, “There is a difference between hearing and listening. We can see that listening skills are suffering.”

Likewise, Claire Benton, British Academy of Audiology vice president, cautions that the brain will "forget" how to screen out common background noises such as car traffic or alarm sounds if it's always protected from them.

"You have almost created this false environment by wearing those headphones of only listening to what you want to listen to. You are not having to work at it,” Benton told the BBC.

She also pointed out that the brain's capacity for sophisticated speech processing and ambient noise maturation completes itself in the late teenage years. Young people who excessively use noise-canceling headphones could be unconsciously putting this vital development at a setback.

The international market for noise-canceling headphones is booming, reaching $45.4 billion in 2031, compared to $13.1 billion in 2021. But there are experts who say that even as technology companies try to end hearing problems, they may be causing others.

David McAlpine, academic director at Macquarie University Hearing in Australia, is worried about the way these devices change brain function. “If you stop putting sound into your ears… your brain overcompensates by turning up its internal gain. It completely alters your neural pathways—we know this.”

Aside from hearing processing issues, there are additional dangers in the long-term use of noise-cancelling headphones:

Decreased awareness of the environment: Muting environmental sounds may render users oblivious to critical notifications, like car horns or public transportation announcements, that may be safety risks.

Physical discomfort: Prolonged headphone use can cause pressure accumulation in the ear canal, resulting in headaches, dizziness, and hearing fatigue.

Ear infections: Inadequate hygiene and prolonged usage can cause moisture buildup, raising the risk of ear infections.

Can the brain be retrained?

Luckily, it is possible to restore the brain to processing sound successfully. Dr. Amjad Mahmood, a head of audiology at Great Ormond Street Hospital, describes how reintroducing normal sound environments is an important strategy for treatment.

Techniques involve app-based games of auditory training, microphones, and low-gain hearing aids to retrain the brain's listening abilities slowly.

Safe listening practices

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that exposure to sound should not be more than 80 decibels (dB) for an eight-hour workday—about the same as the noise of a busy restaurant. But most common sounds are above this threshold:

Motorcycle engine: 95 dB

Subway train horn: 100 dB

Sporting events: 100 dB

While noise-cancelling headphones help prevent damage from high-decibel environments, audiologists emphasize the importance of balance. Dr. Ruth Reisman, a clinical audiologist in New York, suggests limiting usage to two to three hours per day to ensure the ears remain exposed to natural sounds.

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