Student who fell asleep wearing ear buds wakes up DEAF in one ear

A STUDENT who fell asleep wearing ear buds has woken up DEAF in one ear.

Doctors in Taiwan urge people who fall sleep while listening to music to think twice before doing so.

They also added that this particular student would have lost hearing in both of his ears if one of the ear buds had not fallen out while he was asleep.

The student, who has not been identified, luckily managed to gradually get his hearing back after almost falling victim to permanent hearing damage.

He was treated for five days at Asia University Hospital in Taichung City, Taiwan.

Dr Tian Huiji, director of otorhinolaryngology at the hospital, told that while people may listen to loud music during the day, it is far more dangerous to do the same at night.

The doctor explained that when sleeping the body's blood circulation slows down.

This consequently leaves the highly-sensitive sensory hair cells in ears responsible for detecting sound-waves less able to protect our hearing from loud sounds.

'UNDER 30s AT RISK'

The NHS has warned of the dangers of turning up the volume at full blast, saying it can cause long-term hearing damage.The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates 375 ­million of people are severely disabled by hearing loss.

NHS suggests not to listen to music louder than 60 per cent of the maximum volume, as well as to take a break from listening through them for at least five minutes every hour.

It has also been revealed that under 30s are especially at risk of going deaf by listening to music too loudly through earphones plugged into their phone.

They blast tunes directly into their ears at the same 120-decibels of a jumbo jet taking off.

Youngsters also risk damage at gigs and nightclubs where noise levels over 100 decibels can only be listened to safely for 15 minutes.

Action on Hearing Loss says 11million Brits have hearing problems. The charity estimates the number will rise 40 per cent to 15.6million by 2035.

Research also shows more than half of Brits aged 18 to 24 reported a constant buzzing and ringing in their ears, as did one in ten adults.

Yet 40 per cent of people are still unaware that loud music can lead to permanent tinnitus.