Will chatting for hours on your cell cause hearing loss?

A small study of 100 participants conducted by the chairman of the Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India found long-term cell phone users who chatted on their mobile for an hour or more a day, were more likely to suffer from high-frequency hearing loss.

Users who had their phones for four years or more were most effected, while those who had only had their mobiles for two years were less likely to have problems. According to the article, those suffering from high-frequency hearing loss have trouble hearing consonants like s, f, t and z.

It's important to keep in mind though, that the study is small and the researcher who conducted it points out that a much larger study and more research needs to be done before any definitely links or conclusions can be drawn. So don't panic, but maybe try not to chat on your phone for hours on end either.