CLERMONT, Fla. — A Florida audiologist is warning that frequent earbud use may be contributing to a growing trend known as “hidden hearing loss,” particularly among younger adults.
Dr. Kristen Weinbaum of Precision Hearing said she is seeing more patients who report difficulty understanding conversations despite receiving normal hearing test results.
“What we’re seeing in these cases is Hidden Hearing Loss — where people can technically hear sounds, but have difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy environments,” Weinbaum said in a statement.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 1 billion young people worldwide are at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices.
The condition differs from traditional hearing loss because it affects how the brain processes sound rather than damaging the hearing structures typically measured in standard hearing exams, according to the release.
Weinbaum said prolonged exposure to loud audio through earbuds and headphones may contribute to early auditory damage.
“Earbuds aren’t the problem — it’s how we’re using them,” Weinbaum said. “High volume, long listening times, no breaks — it all adds up.”
The release also cited a study published in the Journal of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery that found about 1 in 8 teenagers show signs of hearing damage from noise exposure by age 18.
Weinbaum encouraged people to watch for symptoms including difficulty hearing in noisy environments, listening fatigue, ringing in the ears and needing to raise device volume more frequently.
She said early intervention can help prevent further hearing damage.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
