Bluetooth Vs. Wired Headphones Radiation - Safe Or Not? - Descriptive Audio

Mobile phone radiation and emf are two buzzwords that have been in the news a lot lately. With all the new technology and popular devices like AirPods being used everywhere, it’s hard to know what kind of radiation you’re exposed to on a day-to-day basis. Wireless headphones emit radio frequency or RF radiation which has been shown to cause cancer and other health risks when used for long periods of time. This article will compare the radiation levels of wired and bluetooth headphones and help you decide which one is safer for your health!

what is sar (specific absorption rate)?

Part of what is measured when we talk about emf or rf radiation in headphones is the specific absorption rate. sar measures how much energy per kilogram of body tissue a device is absorbing and is usually expressed as watts/kg. a higher number does not always mean that there will be more health risks, but in general terms, any amount greater than 0.04 w/kg can cause negative effects on organs such as the eyes or the brain because they have a higher sensitivity to the waves radio (emr).

Reading: What type of waves does the headphone produce

what are emf and rf?

emf stands for electromagnetic field and rf stands for radio frequency. emfs are near field waves (not so strong) that are emitted from devices like the cell phone in your pocket or wireless headphones. they can be measured with a gauss meter and its unit of measure.

rfs, on the other hand, is an electromagnetic wave with a wavelength longer than microwave radiation and is commonly emitted from electronic devices such as televisions, microwaves, to name just two examples, but is also emitted from wireless headphones.

Bluetooth vs. Wired headphone radiation – Which one is safer to use?

Wireless headphones emit radio frequency waves that can be harmful to your health for long periods of time. This is because your brain absorbs RF radiation, and it has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory experiments.

Scientists have tried to find out if there are potentially cancer-causing agents, but so far no conclusive answer has been given. however, the long-term effects need more research, so it might be best to play it safe by using wired headphones when possible or at least use them sparingly (especially for children).

do wired headphones emit radiation?

Wired headphones don’t emit any kind of radio frequency waves, so they’re the safest option if you need a pair for extended use. they still emit emf radiation but on a very small scale.

Keep in mind that other signals, like Wi-Fi, are already available everywhere, and sadly, emfs are part of our environment. The best way to reduce your exposure is to limit the time you spend in areas with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signals, and use wired headphones if possible.

It is important to mention here that the radiation emitted by a cell phone is much higher than that of bluetooth or wired headphones.

the average sar limit for bluetooth wireless devices is 0.0044 w/kg and the fcc regulates radio frequency exposure limits below the maximum allowable level of 0.0125 w/kg with a power density that does not exceeds 250 microwatts per square centimeter (µw /cm²). this means that if you’re using your phone with a speakerphone or headphones, it should be safe to use with no known health risks!

In theory, using the speaker mode or Bluetooth headphones instead of answering your phone directly is way safer than using a mobile phone antenna.

precautions when using headphones:

Here are some things you can do to reduce the risk when using headphones:

do not use wireless headphones for long periods of time.
reduce your cell phone use and put it on/airplane mode when not in use or on speakerphone mode to reduce exposure to emf radiation .
if you need a pair of wireless bluetooth headphones, make sure they are within fcc limits.
when using wireless headphones, turn bluetooth off when not in use. don’t let them idle.

ferrite beads to the rescue!

If you use wired headphones for long hours or feel at risk, please make sure the wire is wrapped with ferrite beads. a ferrite bead is a small cylindrical object with different materials that filters electromagnetic radiation. They are usually made from metal alloys or oxides to absorb the magnetic waves that carry RF and EMF frequencies from your wireless device. You’ve probably seen them before, but didn’t know their name.

bluetooth versus wired headset radiation: summary

We don’t yet have definitive data to understand the potential risks, but we’ve come a long way with the science and are constantly learning new things. Some precautions can go a long way toward reducing radiation exposure from wireless devices, so it’s important to keep this in mind when using the technology.