Video game players are exposed to sound levels near or above permitted safety limits, which may increase their risk of suffering irreversible hearing loss and/or tinnitus.
- A meta-analysis shows that video game players are subjected to sound levels close to or exceeding permitted safety limits.
- This increases their risk of suffering irreversible hearing loss or tinnitus.
- For researchers, public health efforts must be made to raise players’ awareness of the potential risks to their hearing health.
Call of Duty, GTAFIFA, Final Fantasy, Minecraft, world of Warcraft… THE Video game enthusiasts will tell you, the sound world of the games contributes to the pleasure… when it is not essential because of their multiplayer mode. However, it seems to put their hearing at risk.
A study, published in the open access journal BMJ Audience Health on January 16, 2024, reveals that video game players face an increased risk of irreversible hearing loss and/or tinnitus because game sound levels are often near or exceed permissible safety limits.
High sound level of video games: an increased risk of hearing loss or tinnitus
“While headphones and concert halls have been recognized as sources of potentially sound dangerous, relatively little attention has been paid to the effects of video games, including e-sports, on hearing loss.note the researchers in a press release. To assess this risk, they took 14 studies carried out in nine countries around the world. This represents 53,833 people.
Reported sound levels ranged from 43.2 decibels with mobile devices to 80-89 dB in gaming centers. The duration of exposure to noise varied depending on the mode and frequency of access, from daily to once a month, for at least one hour and with an average of 3 hours/week. “Among the five peer-reviewed studies that analyzed associations or correlations between gaming and hearing loss or tinnitus, four reported significant associations or correlations with gaming and hearing loss or tinnitus. write the scientists.
Among the worrying data, research reports that pulse sounds (burst of sounds with peak levels at least 15 dB higher than background) reached 119 dB in one of the titles evaluated. However, the permissible exposure limits are approximately 100 dB for children and 130 to 140 dB for adults. Other work measured the sound levels of 5 video games using headphones connected to a console. The 4 shooting games averaged 88.5, 87.6, 85.6, and 91.2 dB while the running game averaged 85.6 dB. This daily level of sound exposure is close to the maximum authorized thresholds.
Thus, for experts, the evidence collected suggests that “THE video game players people around the world may be at risk of irreversible hearing loss and/or tinnitus.
Hearing health: promote safe listening among players
The team believes their work shows that it is essential to educate players about the risks of too high a sound level during gameplay and to promote “safe listening”.
“Although the data provided in this review is limited, it suggests that some players, particularly those who play frequently, and has or above the average sound levels described by the articles included in this review, are likely exceeding permissible sound exposure limits, and are therefore engaging in unsafe listening practices. Which could put them at risk of developing permanent hearing loss and/or tinnitus.”conclude the scientists in their communicated.
