A good song can be a form of escape, a relief after a stressful day of classes or work. That’s why high school and college students often retreat into the comforting sounds of music, turning up the volume to drown out their troubles. Unfortunately, this can have long-lasting physical effects, and a recent study shows that the prevalence of damage is increasing. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that 20 of Americans between 12 and 19 suffered from hearing loss in 2005-06. And as those students get older, those problems will only get worse.The tendency to turn up the volume on ear buds is obviously damaging due to the direct contact with the ear, but loud music while driving can also be at fault. Imagine: all of that sound is inside an enclosed space, echoing and reflecting off the sides of the car. Any sound over 85 dB can be harmful. For reference, that’s anything over the sound of a normal lawn mower. It doesn’t take long, either. 8 hours of 85 dB noise can cause permanent problems, and that time is cut in half with every increase of 3 dB.