Are noise-canceling headphones hazardous to your health? Audiology experts share warnings

Noise-canceling earbuds and headphones can be helpful when you need silence on demand — but could they be hazardous to your health?

The technology has grown in popularity among people who need to eliminate auditory distractions — background chatter, loud children or traffic noise. Yet some experts claim that blocking out the sounds of your surroundings can put you at risk.

"Technology often provides convenience at the cost of awareness," Josh Gordon, head of innovation at the Singapore technology company Geonode, told Fox News Digital.

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"Noise-canceling earbuds may bring welcome silence, but they might also mask vital sounds that could save your life."

Generally, good noise-canceling headphones can reduce noise by 20 to 40 decibels (dB), according to Gordon.

"There are positives and negatives to every technology," Dr. Ruth Reisman, a clinical audiologist and hearing aid dispenser in New York State, told Fox News Digital.

"There can be some negative side effects to wearing noise-canceling headphones, including the reduction of awareness of [people's] surroundings."

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One of Reisman’s colleagues recently did a study on this topic, she said.

"It was found that in addition to the volume of the media, the exposure and time of usage can also impact the patients’ hearing," she noted. 

This can potentially result in hearing damage and an "auditory processing challenge," according to Reisman.

Joel Smith, a California-based audio expert and founder of the music hub AllAxess.com, agreed that noise-canceling headphones can impact hearing if they're not used properly.

"Blasting the volume for too long can cause noise-induced hearing loss, ringing in the ears called tinnitus or even make it harder to process and distinguish sounds clearly over time," he told Fox News Digital. 

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Constant exposure to loud noise can damage the inner ear hair cells that send sound signals to the brain, according to Smith.

"As those hair cells deteriorate from the loud noise, it makes it harder for your brain to properly interpret speech, background noise and other subtle sounds," he said. 

"It's like your auditory processing gets muffled or desensitized."

Another risk, according to Smith, is that earbuds that aren't cleaned regularly can trap moisture and bacteria, increasing the risk of ear infections.

"Some studies also suggest that excessive headphone use might affect your balance and spatial awareness, since you're not relying on natural sound cues as much," Smith added.

Noise-canceling headphones have their benefits, experts agree.

They can be helpful for people who have hyperacusis (sensitivity to noise) or those who have autism, Reisman advised.

"This can often make a noisy or disorienting environment tolerable or accessible to individuals with these challenges," the doctor said. 

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Noise-canceling earbuds or headphones can be used safely, Reisman said — "as long as they are set at an appropriate volume and not used for extended periods of time."

Research shows that anything below 80 decibels is considered a safe volume, the doctor noted, with usage ideally limited to no more than two to three hours per day.

"The question is how to actually measure the amount of decibels at the level of the eardrum," she said. 

"You can potentially go to an audiologist and have [the expert] do a real ear measure, or use a sound level meter at the level of the ear to assess the intensity."

Some phones also offer some guidance on safe volume levels, Reisman added.

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"I don't think people need to avoid [noise-canceling headphones] completely, but you've got to use them responsibly," Smith said.

He recommends following the 60/60 rule, which means keeping the volume at 60% or less and taking a break every 60 minutes to give your ears a rest.

"Be extra cautious in loud environments, since you might crank it up way too high to overcome that background noise," he advised.

Smith recommended taking regular breaks and keeping volumes moderate to prevent auditory fatigue and preserve healthy hearing into older age.

"Technology is a powerful tool," Gordon added. 

"But like any tool, understanding its limitations and using it responsibly is key to staying safe."

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Cat owners could be at higher risk of schizophrenia, study suggests, but more research needed

Cuddling with a cat or kitten might seem therapeutic, but a new study suggests contact with these animals could have adverse mental health effects down the road.

Research published in Schizophrenia Bulletin found that people who are exposed to cats may have more than double the chances of developing schizophrenia and other similar mental disorders later in life.

Australian researchers from the University of Queensland conducted a systematic review of 17 studies performed in 11 countries between Jan. 1, 1980, and May 30, 2023.

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The study data was pulled from several databases, including Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science and other publications.

All the studies focused on participants who owned cats in their first 25 years of life and experienced schizophrenia-related outcomes, according to the researchers.

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects a person’s thoughts, behaviors and feelings, as defined by the National Institute of Mental Health.

Psychotic symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions and thought disorders. 

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Those with the disorder may also experience cognitive challenges, loss of motivation, withdrawal from social activities, difficulty showing emotions and an overall lack of functioning.

"Based on past studies, there is evidence linking cat ownership and an increased risk of subsequent schizophrenia," study author Dr. John McGrath, a psychiatrist at Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia, told Fox News Digital.

"We had an open mind, and we reported the published findings."

Previous research linking cat exposure to schizophrenia risk has focused on Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), a parasite that can cause a feline disease called toxoplasmosis.

Separate studies have identified a "modest to large association" between toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia.

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The study did have some limitations, McGrath acknowledged.

"While observational epidemiology cannot prove this link, this topic warrants further, more detailed research," he said.

"I was disappointed that there were not more highly quality — i.e., more rigorous — studies in our review."

Schizophrenia is a "poorly understood group of disorders," McGrath noted.

"We need to invest in more research that looks at potential risk factors. There is much work to be done."

Dr. Zachary Ginder, a psychological consultant and doctor of clinical psychology at Pine Siskin Consulting, LLC in Riverside, California, was not involved in the study but commented on the findings.

"It is important to keep a level head in consideration of these findings, and there is no need to panic if you own a cat and have children or are thinking about starting a family," Ginder told Fox News Digital.

"Schizophrenia is an incredibly complex disorder, and this study identifies one potential risk factor that needs to be understood in a broader context. It would likely be premature to make strong recommendations about cat ownership solely based on these findings."

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Although a relationship has been established between early-life cat exposure and schizophrenia, Ginder emphasized that this does not necessarily indicate that exposure causes the disorder. 

"There is a lot that we still don’t know, and it is important to highlight that not all people who are exposed to cats or infected with the parasite develop mental health issues, and not all people with schizophrenia have had cat exposure," he told Fox News Digital.

"While this parasite may play a role, it's likely part of a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors." 

Ginder echoed the researchers' comments that "a lot more research" is needed to better understand these relationships — "accounting for a myriad of potential confounding factors and exploring underlying biological mechanisms."

"These findings just give us another piece of an incredibly complex puzzle."

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Mpox outbreak that is rapidly spreading through Congo may be a new form of the disease

Congo is struggling to contain its biggest mpox outbreak, and scientists say a new form of the disease detected in a mining town might more easily spread among people.

Since January, Congo has reported more than 4,500 suspected mpox cases and nearly 300 deaths, numbers that have roughly tripled from the same period last year, according to the World Health Organization. Congo recently declared the outbreak across the country a health emergency.

An analysis of patients hospitalized between October and January in Kamituga, eastern Congo, suggests recent genetic mutations in mpox are the result of its continued transmission in humans; it's happening in a town where people have little contact with the wild animals thought to naturally carry the disease.

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"We’re in a new phase of mpox," said Dr. Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, the lead researcher of the study, who said it will soon be submitted to a journal for publication. Mbala-Kingebeni heads a lab at Congo's National Institute of Biomedical Research, which studies the genetics of diseases.

The lesions reported by most patients are milder and on the genitals, Mbala-Kingebeni said, making the disease trickier to diagnose. In previous outbreaks in Africa, lesions were mostly seen on the chest, hands and feet. He also said that the new form seems to have a lower death rate.

In a report on the global mpox situation this week, WHO said the new version of the disease might require a new testing strategy to pick up the mutations.

With experts pointing out that fewer than half of people in Congo with mpox are tested, Mbala-Kingebeni said: "The risk is that unless patients themselves come forward, we will have a silent transmission of the disease and nobody will know."

Mbala-Kingebeni said most people were infected via sex, with about a third of mpox cases found in sex workers. It was not until the 2022 global emergency of mpox that scientists established the disease was spread via sex, with most cases in gay or bisexual men. In November, WHO confirmed sexual transmission of mpox in Congo for the first time.

There are two kinds, or clades, of mpox, which is related to smallpox and endemic to central and west Africa. Clade 1 is more severe and can kill up to 10% of people infected. Clade 2 triggered the 2022 outbreak; more than 99% of people infected survived.

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Mbala-Kingebeni and colleagues said they have identified a new form of clade 1 that may be responsible for more than 240 cases and at least three deaths in Kamituga, a region with a significant transient population traveling elsewhere in Africa and beyond.

Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases expert at Emory University who is not connected to the research, said the new mutations are concerning.

"This suggests the virus is adapting to spread efficiently in humans and could cause some pretty consequential outbreaks," she said.

Although the mpox epidemics in the West were contained with the help of vaccines and treatments, barely any have been available in Congo. Congo's minister of health has authorized the use of vaccines in high-risk provinces, said Cris Kacita Osako, coordinator of Congo’s Monkeypox Response Committee. He said officials are in talks with donor countries like Japan to help buy the shots.

"Once a sufficient quantity of vaccines is available … vaccination will be implemented as part of the response," Kacita Osako said.

Dr. Dimie Ogoina, an mpox expert at Niger Delta University, said the new research is an unsettling reminder of an earlier — but different — outbreak.

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"The notable spread among sex workers is reminiscent of the early stages of HIV," he said, explaining that prejudices attached to treating sexually transmitted infections and the reluctance of people with mpox to come forward were worrying.

WHO's emergencies chief, Dr. Michael Ryan, said last week that despite the ongoing spread of mpox in Africa and elsewhere, "there has not been a single donor dollar invested."

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Pregnancy-related deaths back down to pre-pandemic levels, CDC data says

U.S. pregnancy-related deaths have fallen back to pre-pandemic levels, new government data suggests.

About 680 women died last year during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth, according to provisional CDC data. That’s down from 817 deaths in 2022 and 1,205 in 2021, when it was the highest level in more than 50 years.

COVID-19 seems to be the main explanation for the improvement, said Donna Hoyert, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maternal mortality researcher.

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The coronavirus can be particularly dangerous to pregnant women. And, in the worst days of the pandemic, burned out physicians may have added to the risk by ignoring pregnant women’s worries, experts say.

Fewer death certificates are mentioning COVID-19 as a contributor to pregnancy-related deaths. The count was over 400 in 2021 but fewer than 10 last year, Hoyert said.

The agency on Thursday released a report detailing the final maternal mortality data for 2022. It also recently released provisional data for 2023. Those numbers are expected to change after further analysis — the final 2022 number was 11% higher than the provisional one. Still, 2023 is expected to end up down from 2022, Hoyert said.

The CDC counts women who die while pregnant, during childbirth and up to 42 days after birth from conditions considered related to pregnancy. Excessive bleeding, blood vessel blockages and infections are leading causes.

There were about 19 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in 2023, according to the provisional data. That's in line with rates seen in 2018 and 2019.

But racial disparities remain: The death rate in Black moms is more than two-and-a-half times higher than that of white and Hispanic mothers.

"In the last five years we've really not improved on lowering the maternal death rate in our country, so there's still a lot of work to do," said Ashley Stoneburner, the March of Dimes' director of applied research and analytics.

The advocacy organization this week kicked off an education campaign to get more pregnant women to consider taking low-dose aspirin if they are at risk of preeclempsia — a high blood pressure disorder that can harm both the mother and baby.

There are other efforts that may be helping to lower deaths and lingering health problems related to pregnancy, including stepped-up efforts to fight infections and address blood loss, said Dr. Laura Riley, a New York City-based obstetrician who handles high-risk pregnancies.

But there's a risk that those kinds of improvements are being offset by a number of factors that may reduce the ability of women to get medical care before, during and after a birth, she said. Experts say the list includes the closure of rural hospitals and a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that did away with the federally established right to abortion — and contributed to physician burnout by causing doctors to feel constrained about providing care during pregnancy-related medical emergencies.

"I think there’s good news. We’re making strides in certain areas," said Riley, head OB-GYN at Weill Cornell Medicine. "But the bad news and scary news is ... there are these other political and social forces that make this (reducing maternal deaths) difficult."

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High levels of resistant bacteria found in uncooked meats and raw dog food: ‘Red flag’

High levels of E. coli were found in uncooked meats and raw dog food sold in grocery stores in the U.K., according to research presented last week at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Global Congress in Barcelona.

Researchers from ​the University of Bristol examined 58 samples of raw beef, chicken, pork and lamb sold at grocery stores in the U.K., along with 15 samples of raw dog food sold at "specialty pet stores," according to a press release.

Eighty-one percent of the meat samples and 87% of the dog food samples were found to contain E. coli (Escherichia coli) that was resistant to antibiotics.

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The raw chicken had the highest levels of the resistant intestinal bacteria.

"E. coli is an intestinal bacteria that may propagate in cows and chickens used for meat, especially when they are raised in squalor or close together," Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, told Fox News Digital.

"Since poultry and meat cows are often fed antibiotics to help them grow and to ward off infections, this helps to breed resistant strains, which emerge amid antibiotic overuse."

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Siegel was not involved in the study.  

"This study confirms that uncooked meat carries multiple resistant E. coli, commonly including resistance to critically important antibiotics important for human health," the study authors said in a press release from ESCMID.

If ingested, the bacteria could colonize the intestines and cause resistant infections, according to study author Matthew B. Avison, a professor at the School of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol.

"They can sit in your gut for years without causing sickness, and in some cases the bacteria will cause different types of disease later on, including urinary tract infections and bloodstream infections that can kill," Avison told Fox News Digital. 

"Infections with resistant bacteria are more difficult to treat and so are more likely to get worse."

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Uncooked meat sold to be eaten by people after cooking is "commonly contaminated" with antibiotic-resistant E. coli, Avison noted.

The study results weren’t surprising, he said, as there have been "numerous reports" of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in uncooked meat and some studies showing this in raw dog food.

"People often believe that because raw dog food is sold frozen, the freezing kills the bacteria, but we have shown that it does not," Avison told Fox News Digital.

"There were just as many samples of chicken-based raw dog food contaminated with resistant E. coli than there were samples of raw chicken meat. If you feed your dog raw meat, therefore, you are likely feeding it antibiotic resistant E. coli."

These findings explain why researchers previously found a strong link between feeding dogs raw meat and the dogs excreting resistant E. coli in their feces, Avison noted.

Most people are not aware of the risk of these antibiotic-resistant pathogens, the researchers stated in the release.

They emphasized the importance of cooking meat thoroughly before eating, and using "appropriate hygiene practices" while preparing it.

"Cooking the meat properly will kill those bacteria," Avison advised.

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"Treat all raw meat as if it were contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and assume dogs fed raw meat will be excreting resistant bacteria," he went on.

"Use appropriate hand-washing and general hygiene practices to minimize the risk that you and other people will accidentally ingest these bacteria."

Dog owners who feed raw meat to their pets should dispose of the animals' waste hygienically, Avison said.

"Don't let your dog lick your face or share your bed, and wash your hands after petting it," he recommended. "These are all common sense practices anyway, but even more important if you raw-feed your dog."

"And, of course, treat raw dog food as if it were any raw meat, in terms of hygiene and cleaning practices."

The study raises a "red flag," Siegel said, underscoring the importance of making sure that poultry and meat is fully cooked prior to human consumption, and that dog food is also cooked. 

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Andre Delattre, chief operating officer of Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) in Washington, D.C., said the study "underscores the importance of ending the practice of routine use of antibiotics in animal agriculture."

"An inevitable byproduct of antibiotic overuse is resistance to these drugs," he told Fox News Digital. 

"Studies have also shown that meat raised without antibiotics is less likely to be contaminated with resistant bacteria."

The University of Bristol study was published on a pre-print server and has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Fox News Digital reached out to the U.K. Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for comment.

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When a parent must care for a parent: How to avoid caregiving burnout, according to experts

For members of the so-called "sandwich generation," doing double-duty caregiving can take a toll.

Serving as a caregiver for a parent with dementia while also caring for kids and maintaining social and work relationships can come with physical, mental and emotional challenges, several experts expressed to Fox News Digital. 

It can be especially difficult dealing with the role reversal, experts say.

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"The role of a parent is someone to look up to, respect and listen to," Dr. Nancy Frye, PhD, a professor of psychology at Long Island University Post Campus in Brookville, New York, told Fox News Digital.

When a parent is in cognitive decline, questions arise about how to step out of traditional parent-child roles, she said, with "no clear norms or guidelines."

"People have lived their lives looking up to their parents, turning to them for advice, and respecting their privacy and autonomy," Frye continued. 

"Now, they find themselves poking around in their parents' affairs and wondering when to start making decisions for them."

"Sandwich generation" caregivers — those who are tasked with taking care of multiple generations, such as parents and children, simultaneously — reported significantly higher levels of personal burnout compared to those who care solely for children, according to a 2023 study published in the International Journal of Aging & Human Development.

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One middle-aged caregiver from Long Island, New York, who asked to withhold her name, told Fox News Digital she can barely find time to take a shower when taking care of her mother with dementia. 

"How can I find time to go for a walk or coffee with friends when I am afraid she will wander or fall?" she asked.

To avoid caregiver burnout when taking care of a parent who is dealing with an illness such as dementia, health experts said it is important to carve out time for yourself.

"Caring for a person with dementia can be very stressful," Frye said. "In order to take care of somebody else, you need to take care of yourself. It is OK to take a break."

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Dr. Marc L. Gordon, chief of neurology at Zucker Hillside Hospital Northwell Health on Long Island, New York, said caregivers should not hesitate to rely on others.

"It is important to find time for respite, and to ask for help rather than trying to do it all by yourself."

He added, "Just like they tell you on an airplane, in case of an emergency, you should put on your own oxygen mask before attempting to assist others."

Darci Henry, a certified dementia practitioner and licensed nursing home administrator with Trualta — a Canadian company that provides online support and education for caregivers — said caregivers experience a range of emotions, all which are valid.

Henry emphasized to Fox News Digital the importance of delegating responsibilities to other family members and outsourcing tasks. 

This may mean using community resources, such as meal prep, grocery delivery and laundry services.

"Reaching out and getting that extra layer of support is really important for your own preservation," Henry said. 

"Taking time for self-care is not selfish. It’s necessary."

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Even for those who cannot leave the house, Henry suggested taking "micro moments." 

"It can be something as small as taking a few deep breaths, doing some stretching, standing outside on your porch or just enjoying a cup of coffee," she said.

It is also important to carve out time for family relationships and daily check-ins with spouses or partners, according to Henry. 

That could include going for a walk after dinner, having regular family meetings and discussing the division of responsibilities. 

"If there are underlying issues in the family, you’re definitely going to see them come up once the caregiving role starts," Henry said. 

People should seek professional help if the strain of caregiving is affecting the relationship, she advised.

"Many families have someone from the outside come in and mediate the meetings."

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Having an outside perspective can help "provide a different lens" for the conversation and make sure everyone is heard, Henry noted. 

While communicating, she said it's key to be respectful and understand limitations and expectations.

When it comes to speaking with children about their grandparent’s condition, Henry said knowledge is power. 

"The more you can educate the teenager or young adult about what is happening, the more empathy they may have about the situation."

To help deal with the mood swings often associated with dementia, Henry suggested adhering to a stable routine as much as possible and developing strategies to identify and prevent triggers for certain behaviors.

"Educating yourself on what is happening in that person’s brain is really important, because that will help you understand that they are not giving you a hard time, they’re having a hard time," Henry said.

It's best to embrace a "one-day-at a time" mindset, Frye suggested.  

"It’s tempting to take a parent's state and behavior — whether it's good or bad — as an indication of what's to come," she said.

"Try to take things as they come, moment by moment. Focus on a parent having a good or a bad hour or day, as opposed to the parent improving or declining quickly," Frye suggested.

Continuing to give a parent as much say and autonomy as possible can be helpful, she added — as long as it's safe.

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"Decades ago, Ellen Langer did a study in which people in a nursing home were given a plant and told either that they needed to care for it, or that the staff would care for it," Frye said.

"Those who were tasked with caring for their own plants lived longer."

There are approximately 53 million caregivers in the U.S. as of 2020.

That's a jump from 43.5 million in 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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