Avik Banerjee, a university lecturer, gamed five to six hours a day, every day for 15 years with titles like Call of Duty and Fortnite. He was such an avid gamer that he even managed to come first in a global COD tournament that won him a payout of $44,000 – but his passion ultimately came at a price.
While gaming, Avik would turn the volume on his headphones as loud as they would go, presumably to fully immerse himself in the process.
He knew it was louder than necessary, but Avik claimed he wasn’t aware of any warnings when he first started gaming with his headphones.
Avik Banerjee gamed daily for 15 years (SWNS)
Unfortunately, it wasn’t until many years had already passed that Avik learned the consequences of his actions, when he started having dizzy spells and one day fell to the floor unconscious after heading home from work.
Luckily some neighbors spotted Avik and were able to call an ambulance to take him to hospital, where he learned he’d suffered damage in his ears which has affected his in-ear balance.
After gaming for years with his headphones at such a loud volume, he learned that his ‘long-distance hearing [had] completely gone’.
“If there’s a loud sound, or music in the distance, I can’t hear it,” he said.
“I’ve been told by doctors I might need hearing aids if it gets worse – I even have to go for hospital check-ups every two months to monitor my balance. People need to know the permanent damage computer games can cause.”
Avik spoke out as a survey from Specsavers found that 51 percent of people who wear gaming headsets will set the volume too loud, prompting after-effects including ringing or buzzing sounds, increased sensitivity to normal sounds, and soreness on the ears.
Both volume and duration can impact hearing (Getty Stock Photo)
How do headphones impact your hearing?
Kate Johnson, AuD, CCC-A, an audiologist at University of Utah Health, has explained that hearing damage can come from ‘a combination of volume and duration’.
“The louder the sound, the shorter the amount of time you can be exposed before damage will happen,” she explained.
Referred to by those in the medical field at noise-induced hearing loss, the issue is the second most common type of sensorineural hearing loss.
Medical News Today reports that people using headphones in an already noisy environment are at a 4.5-fold higher risk of hearing loss.
To avoid the complications that can come with blasting your headphones, audiologists cited by the University of Utah Health recommend keeping the audio levels at or below 60 percent of the maximum volume.
Featured Image Credit: SWNS
Emily Brown
Foo Fighters drummer ‘shocked’ as he announces he’s been fired from band in honest statement
“Stay tuned for my ‘Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters’ list.”
Drummer Josh Freese has released a statement on his departure from the Foo Fighters, claiming he was let go with ‘no reason’.
After Taylor Hawkins passed away at the age of 50 in 2022, a year later, the iconic band – headed up by Dave Grohl – revealed that renowned drummer Josh Freese would be joining them full-time.
The band revealed the news during a Preparing Music for Concerts livestream in May 2023, with Freese later taking to social media to say he’d requested to carry on the use of Hawkins’ own drum set.
However, Freese’s two years playing as part of the Foo Fighters have seemingly come to an end, with the drummer taking to Instagram to share a statement alleging he’s been let go.
Josh Freese was the Foo Fighters’ drummer for two years (Gary Miller/Getty Images)
On May 16, he posted a statement alongside the caption: “Well, there it is.”
The statement reads: “The Foo Fighters called me Monday night to let me know they’ve decided ‘to go in a different direction with their drummer.’
“No reason was given. :(.
“Regardless, I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage, and I support whatever they feel is best for the band.
“In my 40 years of drumming professionally, I’ve never been let go from a band, so while I’m not angry – just a bit shocked and disappointed.
“But as most of you know I’ve always worked freelance and bounced between bands so, I’m fine.”
Indeed, the session drummer has previously played the drums for the likes of Guns N’ Roses, Sting and Vandals among others.
The drummer shared a statement on Instagram (Instagram/@joshfreese)
His post resolved: “Stay tuned for my ‘Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters’ list.
“Josh.”
And it’s not taken long for people to weigh in on the post, with many in a similar state of ‘shock’.
One Instagram user said: “Damn… I’m shocked! You seemed to be the perfect fit!!”
Another added: “This is lucky for the five other bands that you play with.”
It’s not just Freese who’s been left shocked (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Foo Fighters)
A third commented: “Say what? Why for playing everything not only perfectly but going above and beyond what most are remotely capable of? I apologize but respectfully this makes absolutely no sense to me.”
And a fourth resolved: “You’re an amazing drummer. Have been for decades. That will never change, Foos or no Foos. I’m sure you will kick a** as always going forward!”
UNILAD has contacted the Foo Fighters’ representatives for comment.
Featured Image Credit: Daniel Boczarski/Getty
Topics: Celebrity, Foo Fighters, Music, Social Media
A weightlifter was given only years to live after he ignored these symptoms that could have pointed to his health woes earlier.
A British weightlifter ended up in a coma as doctors discovered a serious health concern.
31-year-old Scott Hinch was told that he may only have 3 to 5 years to live and this news rightly floored him.
Doctors only made the discovery after he was brought to the Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, Wales, after suffering a seizure on his way to work back in August 2019.
Hinch has since said that he wishes he had paid closer attention to the symptoms and hadn’t brushed them off.
Hinch lived an active and healthy lifestyle before his diagnosis(SWNS)
While at the hospital, he was put in an induced four-day coma and, after waking up, an MRI revealed a grade 2 astrocytoma, a type of tumor that usually develops in the brain or spinal cord.
On September 4 of that year, Scott underwent emergency surgery to partially remove the tumor and started his first round of treatment to keep the cancer at bay. This entailed seven weeks of radiotherapy and 12 cycles of chemotherapy.
Prior to his cancer diagnosis, Hinch lived a healthy and active lifestyle and suffered no significant health issues.
He did note that he occasionally did experience headaches and nosebleeds but thought it was down to over working, working out and not drinking enough water.
He said: “Looking back, I now realize there were signs. Headaches, nosebleeds, things I chalked up to long work hours.
“Maybe heavy training at the gym and not drinking enough water. I even went to the opticians, but nothing was picked up.”
While it is over 5 years on from his initial diagnosis, Hinch still suffers to this day due to his cancer returning two years later after the end of his treatment at the end of 2023.
Following this, he underwent more chemotherapy and treatment, and in 2025, is undergoing his third round of treatment for his tumor.
Hinch has had multiple rounds of treatment as his cancer came back(SWNS)
He added: “I take it one month at a time.
“The fatigue is relentless and most days I can’t leave the house.
“But I’m still here, and that’s something I’m grateful for.”
His mum, Fiona, has become his full-time carer and he is now ‘dependent on her’ for everything.
Fiona has also spoken on the need for greater research and awareness regarding brain tumors and has emphasized the difficulty of seeing her son go through treatment.
She said: “Watching my son go through the trauma of surgery and three rounds of treatment for brain cancer has been heartbreaking.
“No family should have to experience the fear, uncertainty and pain that we have.
“We need better outcomes, kinder treatments, and ultimately a cure.”
To help raise awareness, his mum, Fiona and auntie, Lyndsey, are taking on the 200k in May Your Way challenge to raise money for the Brain Tumour Research Charity.
Featured Image Credit: SWNS
Topics: World News, Cancer, Health, News
Gerrard Kaonga
Woman who eats entire blocks of butter per day explains the shocking effects it has on her body
The woman defended her diet in a YouTube video mocking those criticising her
A woman has hit back at the ‘naysayers’ who questioned her health after she admitted to eating a block of butter a day.
Yeah, we aren’t talking about a tiny bit of butter either. But a woman on social media swears by it as part of her diet.
Bella, who goes by SteakandButtergal on YouTube and her social media pages, made a video slamming her critics and highlighted how her body responds to all that butter.
She has said she focuses on a high-fat carnivore diet and dismissed those who were concerned for her health.
Speaking about the diet, Harvard Health Chief Medical Editor Howard E Lewine spoke about its pros and cons.
Outlining how the diet works, he stated: “The carnivore diet meal plan only allows consumption of meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, fish, some dairy products, and water.
“You need to exclude all vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts. That’s why it is sometimes referred to as the ‘zero carb’ diet.”
In her video, Bella said: “I’m a high fat carnivore sharing my journey and here’s how I respond to common concerns.”
The YouTuber then had her fiancé play the role of a concerned social media user, asking the most common questions and points.
He said: “Dude how is your heart not stopped?
Yeah I don’t really want to take a bite out of that I can’t lie(Getty Stock Image)
She replied: “Not only has my heart not stopped, but I now have more energy to work out, play with my dog and be the most amazing partner to my fiance.”
He hit back: “Okay have fun with the diabetes.”
She answered: “A high fat carnivore diet contributes to higher HDL (High-density lipoprotein) levels, which is good cholesterol and my HDL shot up from 73 to 98.
“Lowering your triglycerides it also associated with a lowered heart disease risk and my triglycerides went down from 97 to 15.”
She closed the video with the ‘naysayer’ taking a bite of a slab of butter and then having the energy to lift weights at the gym.
Lewine made it clear in an Harvard article that there were some clear drawbacks to the diet, however.
He stated: “The carnivore diet is a type of “keto,” or ketogenic, diet.
This looks a lot more appetizing (Getty Stock Image)
“While some keto diets can emphasize the intake of healthier mono- and polyunsaturated fats, that’s not the case with carnivore diets.
“Animal fat is mostly saturated fat, which is the unhealthiest type of fat because it raises levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
“The disadvantage of all keto diets is they tend to raise LDL cholesterol levels in both the short and long term.
“Other longer-term concerns about keto diets, especially the carnivore diet, include the increased risk of kidney stones, gout, and osteoporosis.”
So maybe speak to a healthcare professional before diving in headfirst to your butter-heavy diet in the new year.
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/SteakandButterGal
Topics: Food and Drink, Health
Gerrard Kaonga
One Drink Per Day Can Cause Permanent Brain Damage
New research suggests having just one drink a day could permanently damage our brains
New research suggests having just one drink a day could permanently damage our brains. That’s a real bummer for all you weekend warriors.
An Oxford University-speared team of researchers have linked the consumption of seven or more standard drinks per week to higher iron levels in the brain among 21,000 people.
Iron accumulation has been linked to diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and this new research suggests that higher levels of the mineral could also play a part in alcohol-related cognitive decline.
Shutterstock
Anya Topiwala of Oxford University led the study, published on PLOS Medicine, and participants – who were from the UK Biobank – reported their own alcohol consumption before undergoing MRI scans.
Nearly 7,000 MRI scans were carried out on participants’ livers to determine systemic iron levels and those taking part also completed simple cognitive and motor function tests.
One average, participants consumed around 18 standard drinks a week and Topiwala’s team found that those consuming more than seven standard drinks a week showed markers of higher iron in the part of the brain that’s associated with motor movement control, cognition, eye movement and more.
The average age of those taking part was 55 and 48.6% were female.
It’s worth noting that Topiwala and co did point out that alcohol-induced brain changes could have simply been conflated with changes caused by other factors, but that the prevalence of moderate drinking among participants was evidence enough to suggest reducing booze consumption is a wise choice.
Shutterstock
While we’re on the booze front, anyone who has no intention of cutting back on nice cold pints, regardless of the information above – *raises hand* – will be delighted to hear that as of this month, there’s a ‘ground-breaking’ new hangover pill on the market.
Costing just £1 a pop, Myrkl’s new pre-drinking pill promises to ‘rapidly break down alcohol’ so that you can avoid a sore head the morning after the night before.
The food supplement, which is 100 percent natural and vegan, costs £30 for a pack of 30 pills.
It was invented back in 1990 by scientist Johan de Faire, and has now been ‘perfected over 30 years of research and design’.
Users simply take two pills before drinking – either at least one hour before or any time up to 12 hours before.
Up to 70 percent of alcohol is then broken down after just 60 minutes, with the product also claiming to support immunity and boost energy levels with B12.
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via story@unilad.com
Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Science, Food and Drink
