Video game addicts at risk of hearing loss and tinnitus, doctors warn
Gamers around the world are at risk of sound-induced hearing loss from wearing headphones for hours every day while playing at high volumes. Lino Mirgeler/dpa

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."