Categories: Health Tech

Hidden Dangers Of Earbuds And Headphones

Most people consider music to be an important part of their day, which starts as soon as they wake up in the morning. In most cases, this music is listened to through a listening device such as earbuds or headphones. While many people are aware of the harmful effects that excessive use of these devices can have on the ears, such as hearing loss, what is less talked about is the varying degrees of damage caused by different types of devices, particularly earbuds versus headphones. These two differ in their physical structure and the way they transmit audio to your ears, which means that one may be safer for your ears than the other. Given how deeply these devices are embedded in our everyday lives, it is important to understand which ones are less harmful for long-term use and how we can protect our hearing.

Earbuds, like AirPods, are tiny speakers that fit inside the ear canal to deliver immersive sound. One of the first possible consequences of frequent use of these devices is ear infection. Although ears usually clean themselves, blocking the ear canal with earbuds prevents this process from happening.

Instead, the ear canal becomes a moist and warm enclosed space, creating the perfect environment for infection. This risk is even greater in children because their ear canal is smaller. Additionally, when the ear canal becomes clogged with earbuds, it is common for earwax to build up, often resulting in the need to increase the volume to compensate for the muffled sound. Excessive volume makes the problem worse. Prolonged exposure to loud noises can damage cilia: these are tiny hair-like structures found in our inner ear. Cilia are vital for hearing because they catch sound waves that are converted into electrical signals for the brain to interpret, so any damage to them can cause hearing loss and other hearing problems.

Like earbuds, headphones pose risks to cilia, but their design offers some advantages. Headphones typically consist of a pair of small speakers, which are worn over the ears rather than inside them. Noise-cancelling headphones, in particular, help protect your ears by using microphones to capture external noise and produce a contrast version of sound. It is fed into the headphones, thus cancelling out the external noise. The effect is even deeper when combined with passive noise reduction, such as a physical barrier or sponge to absorb or block noise. This reduces the need to listen to extremely loud amounts to drown out the noise around you. Nevertheless, most headphones can produce up to 120 decibels of noise, which is equivalent to what is heard in a rock concert. This explains why it may be difficult to listen initially after leaving a noisy place, such as a concert, but eventually your hearing becomes normal. However, repeated exposure prevents cilia from vibrating in response to sounds, which can cause permanent damage.

Although noise-cancelling headphones, such as the Sony XM-5, are usually safer than earbuds because they are placed nearby rather than in the ears, both can still pose a risk to your hearing. However, it is important to remember that both devices are prone to hearing loss. To reduce this loss, there are a few steps you can take. First, make sure your volume is between 60 and 85 decibels, which is equivalent to the sound of a blender. It is also important to relax your ears every two hours, which reduces the risk of infection by giving your ear canal time to deflate. One way to follow this rule is the 60/60 rule: listen to music at 60% of maximum volume for 60 minutes at a time.
Given how much time young people, especially students, spend listening to music every day, it’s important to know how it can affect your hearing and how to avoid them. By listening and taking breaks at low volume, you can enjoy music while protecting your ears from long-term damage. Responsible use ensures that we all play the soundtrack of our lives safely for many years to come.

Read Also: