Teenagers and loud music have been an unstoppable combination for generations, and today’s earbuds that are placed inside the ear canal may be causing more damage to a new generation of music lovers.

A report in the New York Times points out that earbuds don’t cancel as much noise as headphones that sit on the ear, so people tend to listen at higher volume to drown out interference.

It’s estimated that as many as 1 in 6 teenagers has some degree of hearing loss, particularly with higher frequencies, as a result of loud music.

Aside from being socially frustrating, even mild hearing loss can negatively affect academic achievement.

This type of hearing loss is not reversible, but it is preventable.

Although parents may recall how ineffective it seemed when they were nagged by their own parents, it’s important to talk about it.

Many brands of “volume-limiting headphones” are now available and surprisingly affordable.

One rule of thumb is that if you can hear the music coming from someone’s earbuds, it’s loud enough to be doing physical damage to the body’s auditory system.

It’s important to give your ears a break.

Just like with the amount of time you spend on other great indulgences, practice moderation when listening to loud music.