It is widely acknowledged that headphones can be detrimental to our hearing when used at excessive volumes, especially given their proximity to our ears. However, a recent report by the BBC indicates that there may be a new health concern emerging related to the noise-canceling feature found in many contemporary earphones.

The article explores the possibility that frequent use of noise-canceling technology to block out annoying background noises could be altering the brain’s wiring in individuals who use it regularly. This is highlighted by the case of a 25-year-old British woman who experienced difficulty focusing on sounds and was subsequently diagnosed with audio processing disorder (APD), despite having normal hearing test results. APD is a neurological condition that affects the brain’s ability to interpret sounds and spoken words.

According to the BBC, five audiology departments within the U.K.’s National Health Service have reported an increase in the number of young people being referred for issues related to sound processing. This raises the question: what could be disrupting normal brain function in these cases?

One potential theory proposed by the article is that the prolonged use of noise-canceling technology may cause the brain to forget how to filter out sounds on its own. The patient’s audiologist has also emphasized the need for further research into the effects of this technology on our brains.