Many people rely on noise-cancelling headphones to block out the constant noise in today’s world.

Ahmed Z. Noise-canceling headphones may be rewiring young brains, experts warn. Techspot. February 16, 2025.

Although this may seem harmless, audiologists are raising concerns about potential negative effects, particularly on the brain's ability to process sound effectively.

Diagnoses of APD are increasing

This is how auditory processing disorder (APD manifests—it’s a condition in which the brain has difficulty interpreting sounds and speech. People with APD can hear sounds clearly, but struggle to make sense of them. 

BBC News interviewed Sophie, a 25-year-old with APD, who shared, “Even though I can hear that there are noises going on, I can't listen to where the noise is coming from. I know it’s the person’s voice, I just can’t really compute it quickly enough."

Karpel H. Are noise-cancelling headphones to blame for young people’s hearing problems? BBC News. February 15, 2025.

Sophie only began noticing issues with her hearing when she started university a few years ago. She struggled to identify the source of sounds, which led her to avoid in-person lectures and instead watch them online with subtitles. This is not surprising, as classrooms are typically filled with distractions which can make it difficult for individuals with APD to focus. 

The exact cause of Sophie’s APD, and many patients like her, is unclear, but audiologists suspect it can be linked to daily use of noise-cancelling headphones, for up to 5 hours a day. However, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of prolonged use of these headphones.

Importantly, APD is generally more common among neurodivergent individuals, those who have had brain injuries, or those with a history of middle-ear infections in childhood. But the new spate of impacted patients is behind the rising concerns.

Where current research stands

In an interview with Ara, Gerard Encina-Llamas, PhD, an engineer and scientist specialising in auditory sciences, discussed APD and its diagnosis. He explained, “There is a problem, but we can’t measure it with current techniques. We know that it has nothing to do with the cochlea … so the problem comes from the brain, but we don’t know why.”

Fontserè S. Noise-cancelling headphones: why they’re controversial (and what the experts say). Ara. February 28, 2025. 

Dr. Encina-Llamas, a researcher at the Copenhagen Hearing and Balance Center in Denmark, also emphasised that there is “no scientific evidence” to support the claim that noise-cancelling devices cause hearing loss. However, he added, "We know that exposure to sound for a long time at moderate levels, even if not very loud, can cause permanent damage to some neurons in the auditory nerve."