Hearing loss occurs as the result of listening to loud music over an extended period. Preventing hearing loss should be the concern of all who listen to loud music or have jobs in noisy environments. It is also possible to sustain hearing loss through single events such as gunshots and explosions. The effects of hearing loss are progressive and there is no evidence to suggest that you can recover hearing once it has been lost. The effects of noise exposure is greatest in males, according to the Iowa State University website.
The more often you listen to loud music the more accustomed your ears become to listening to music at that level. With time, you will need to increase the volume of the music to achieve the same affect. If you notice that you need to continually raise the volume of the stereo to hear your music don't blame the stereo, it is more likely that your hearing sensitivity is being affected by prolonged listening to loud music. Turn the music down to prevent damage to your hair cells and eventual speech recognition abilities.
Hair cells within the ear are responsible for taking sound and turning it into wave impulses that the brain then interprets into sound. The brain can then further interpret this information into logical orderings that makes it possible to understand speech and recognize recurring elements in music. Damage to the hair cells caused by loud music can permanently damage your ability to hear. Generally, if your music is so loud that others can hear what is playing while you are wearing headphones your music is too loud. If you can't hear what other people are saying over music played from a stereo, it is advisable to turn the music down to save your valuable hair cells in the inner ear.
According to the University of Iowa website, long-term reduction in hearing will eventually affect not only your hearing but also the center of your brain that is able to recognize speech. This is a serious concern that all who listen to loud music should be wary of. Higher pitched noises played for long periods are worse than loud and low tones. Protective ear coverings worn by anyone who works in areas of loud sustained noise will help prevent hearing loss.