After 72 hours of researching, Today I will be discussing on Can headphones can cause ear infections. In this fast-paced world where technology has taken over the world and everyone is bound to use things developed by modern technology. No doubt, everything is getting modern day by day, and with every upgrade, they provide more ease and more reliability for their consumers. Headphones are also modern inventions and offer convenience and ease.
You take up calls while working out in a gym or while making your favorite food so your phone doesn’t get messy. But did you ever think how much damage are they causing your ears? Or ever got scolded by your mom for using it for hours?
How headphones can cause ear Infection?
Researches, studies, and data collected from people with excessive use of headphones show that headphones can actually be dangerous to ears health and can damage their working mechanism severely. First of all, you need to know that headphones can not only cause you an ear infection. They can cause you permanent hearing loss; meaning your eardrum will get damaged and you won’t be able to listen to anything at all and it is irreversible.
First, let you know the difference between earphones and headphones because these are usually understood as the same. Earbuds or earphones come in small sizes and the user has to put these in-ear canals to be able to get entertained. The headphones are usually big in size and you have to put them over the ears.
Putting the small beads-type earbuds closer to your eardrums can cause you some serious issues like permanent hearing loss. Plugging in earbuds inside the ear canal can make the skin sensitive and can obstruct the way. Pushing the earbuds closer to the eardrum through the ear canal can push the wax toward the eardrum. This way eardrum gets messy and after mixing up with the shower water it gets swelled up and becomes the fruitful food for germs and bacteria.
Ear Infection can be a Root cause of many other infections:
As there are many other organs connected with each other like an ear brain and nose. If one gets infected, the infection will spread to other organs too and will start the destruction. If the ear-infected person doesn’t get the proper treatment on time other diseases can show up the infection can spread to other parts of the brain and will cause damage to areas like nerves, the brain, or even blood vessels.
Can headphones Cause Ear Infection? yes, Chances of meningitis (an infection that takes place in the membrane and spinal cord ) may get higher if the cure is delayed. It’s all about care and getting proper treatment otherwise a simple ear infection can lead to death.
Symptoms of Ear Infection:
If you are a headphone person who likes to have them in your collar or around the neck no matter what you are up to then you should know the symptoms of ear infections so you go to see your doctor immediately and can get immediate help if you see any of them happening with you. If you aren’t suffering from such a situation but still you should take care of your ears because you can’t buy them anywhere like a pair of fancy headphones. Symptoms of Ear Infection are as follows:
Ear pain.
Ear drainage or in other words the pus-like liquid comes out of the ear.
Hearing loss can happen when the wax of the infection blocks the way for sound to go through the ear canal further toward the eardrum.
Vertigo.
Headache.
Extreme ear pain when lying down.
Types of Ear infection
There are different types of ear infections founds in humans.
Outer ear infection.
Inner ear infection.
Middle ear infection ( mostly occurs in youngsters and children.
However, middle ear infections are most common. infections that are caused by the headphones are mostly middle ear infection which occurs behind the eardrum.
Ear infections can be painful so to ease yourself there are a few remedies suggested by experts. First of all, you should get a proper check-up and guidance from the doctor. In case you are in Sahara and can’t find one then try these to relieve yourself from the pain.
Can headphones Cause Ear Infection? Popping ears can be a source of relief. Pinch your nose and close your mouth. Now, gently exhale carbon dioxide. This can resolve ear fullness or air pressure created by inflammation inside the air behind the eardrum.
Tea tree oil is also a natural remedy to fight against bacteria inside the ear. Tea tree oil contains chemical elements which kill germs and bacteria and as a result, the ear comes to normal functioning condition. In case you are unable to find a tea tree remedy then use olive oil remedy to get relief from pain.
Headphones can cause Hear Loss:
Sound ranging from 70 to 80 decibels is safe for human ears. However, if you have the habit of listening to music on full volume its means you are listening to 110 decibels of sound which is not safe and extremely risky. The home appliances like a mixer grinder produce 85 decibels of sound. So, listening to loud music using earbuds seems a party thing but it should be discouraged to prevent hearing loss.
Extreme loud music playing closer to your eardrum will damage the eardrum hair cells. Once the eardrum is damaged you can’t listen to anything and it will be for a lifetime because hair cells can’t be regenerated. If there are questions arising in your mind like How much damage do the headphones cause? The answer depends on a few factors like, how long you use it, how often, and how loud.
Do you know? In the USA, October is a month of ear protection. This is to raise awareness about ear diseases found in youngsters caused by headphones, swimming, and self-ear cleaning.
Ear Infection Cure and Treatment:
Infection is an accumulation of bacteria and viruses in the middle ear. Antibiotics should be taken to let them fight these germs. However, if you see the drainage not stopping then you may go to see the doctor for further proper treatment and guidance. The doctor will do an inspection of the ear to see if there’s any skin redness or sensitivity on the skin.
The doctor may also do some checks up by using a device to see if the emitted sound is being absorbed by the eardrum. A normal functioning eardrum absorbs the sound but in the case of an infected one, the sound will be reflected back due to the pressure created by the fluid. If the ear is infected the doctor will prescribe you antibiotics.
Simple tips to avoid Ear infections caused by Headphones:
Not using headphones or earbuds so your ears won’t get infected doesn’t make any sense. Especially if you are a soul who considers headphones/earbuds as night companions it will sound disappointing for you to quit their use. Taking precautionary measures will sound good and may make your day. Implement these practical tips to reduce the risk of hearing loss caused by Earphones.
Use high-quality headphones with good build quality to get the best output at 60 volumes. Use earbuds with a soft tip. They often come with a hard tip and cause the ear canal’s be skin sensitive. If you didn’t get the soft tips with the earbuds buy aftermarket.
Try to avoid using earbuds and switch to headphones. Headphones don’t need to be plugged in instead they are put over the ears. Earbuds are plugged into the ear canal and this way they are closer to the eardrum which makes the low-frequency sound louder for the eardrum.
Try using noise-cancellation headphones or earphones. Most of the users set the volume to 100% so they can’t hear the surrounding noises. Noise cancellation headsets are made to block outer voices, so you can enjoy the music coming from the earbuds at a lower volume which is safer for your eardrums.
Follow the 60/60 rule to minimize the risk of hearing loss. The 60/60 rule means, setting the volume on your device to 60 while listening to the earphones and don’t use headphones & earbuds for more than 60 minutes.
Conclusion:
There are many things that were invented and developed to provide ease and comfort in our daily lives and no doubt they did and they are still. Everything we buy related to tech comes with the user manual so you do know how to use it properly. But it has been observed the first thing we do is throw that user manual away. If we carefully read and implement the precautionary measures we can enjoy the tech and still have a healthy lifestyle.
FAQs:
Can fluid in the ears be caused by headphones?
The normal process by which our ears remove wax from the ear canal can be inhibited by frequent or continuous usage of headphones, which could result in ear wax buildup and obstruction. This is especially true with earphones, often known as earbuds, which fit inside the ear.
Can you wear headphones continuously?
Your hearing may be harmed if you use over-the-ear headphones for a lengthy period of time or listen to loud music. When a sound source is within your ear canal, its volume might rise by 6 to 9 decibels, which can cause serious problems.
What is the duration of ear infections?
The majority of ear infections go away in 3 days, while occasionally, the symptoms may continue for up to a week. Try to stay at home and limit contact with others until you feel better if you or your child has a high temperature or doesn’t feel well enough to engage in your usual activities.
