Video game addicts at risk of hearing loss and tinnitus, doctors warn

Exasperated parents and spouses have a new red flag to wave at kids or partners who spend endless hours playing video games.

Too much time glued to screens and battering controllers is linked to tinnitus and hearing loss, according to doctors and scientists in Australia, China, Switzerland and the U.S.

"Gamers often play at high-intensity sound levels and for several hours at a time," the research team said, warning of possible "irreversible hearing loss and/or tinnitus — persistent ringing/buzzing in the ears."