Mallika Dureja
Smartphones and smart devices are now an integral part of our lives, and an increasing number of people, particularly adolescents and young adults, spend hours using various portable audio devices such as headphones, earphones, and air pods. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, working-class adults have become accustomed to spending hours in front of their laptops, attending meetings and discussions that were previously conducted in person.
Several studies have indicated that the use of portable audio devices and attendance at concerts or nightclubs, both of which expose adolescents to high-intensity music for extended periods, are two major risk factors for hearing loss. Numerous studies indicate that the majority of people suffer from tinnitus, transient hearing loss, and noise-induced hearing loss because they are not adequately educated on how to use portable audio devices at safe noise levels and for moderate durations.
According to the findings of another study, adolescents who listen to loud music with earphones in a boisterous environment or who use earphones for more than 80 minutes per day on average in a noisy environment have a significantly increased risk of hearing loss. People are more likely to listen to music louder than environmental pollution, particularly in subways and buses where the average noise level is 80 decibels.
Taking care of your hearing and protecting your ear from infection are two aspects of ear health that contribute to its overall wellness. According to the World Health Organization, 24-hour noise levels should not exceed 70 decibels. If it is increased by even 5 decibels, the exposure time must be shortened to 7 to 8 hours.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Abhilasha Sadhoo, MBBS, MS ENT, Fellowship in Head and Neck Surgery Consultant at Department of ENT and Head and Neck Oncosurgery at Belenus Champion Hospitals, and Dr. Meenu Krishnan, MBBS, MS ENT, Registrar at Department of ENT, explained, “Loud noise can cause hearing loss by damaging cochlear hair cells. The inner ear can become fatigued and the auditory nerve can become insensitive after prolonged exposure to loud earphone noise, resulting in transient noise-induced hearing loss. Exposure to deafening noise increases the risk of permanent hearing loss in extreme cases. Another growing concern is the impact of the static magnetic field emitted by these audio devices on hearing, audiological, and neurological health.”
They added, “Therefore, there is an increasing need to educate our youth about the dangers of irresponsible use of these devices and how to promote healthy listening behaviours. The majority of studies recommend using these devices at less than 60dB for 1-3 hours per day. It is also important to avoid using these devices in areas where ambient noise levels are substantially elevated, such as on buses, in shopping malls, and in gyms. It is recommended to keep the devices clean and maintain good ear hygiene to prevent excessive perspiration and the subsequent harbouring of a variety of bacterial infections.”
According to Dr. Manjunath MK, Consultant ENT surgeon at SPARSH Hospital, “one must maintain healthy ears and refrain from using AirPods to remove earwax. Earwax serves as a cleansing agent, trapping dust from the environment and preventing ear infections. Using Q-tips or earbuds to clean the ear will actually drive the wax deeper into the ear canal. To maintain healthy ears, it is best to avoid using Q-tips. The ear has a mechanism for cleansing itself. Due to the jaw movements that occur when we consume and chew, earwax tends to come out on its own, so there is no need to clean the ears. After a bath, you can dry your hair with a cloth, not earbuds.”
“If you are using headphones, keep the volume as low as feasible,” he advised. There is a rule known as the “60-60 rule.” Keep the volume up to 60 percent of maximum and use it for less than sixty minutes. If you use headphones for more than 60 minutes at an intensity greater than 60 percent, you run the risk of developing NIHL (noise-induced hearing loss).”
Regarding the impact of daily earphone use on a person’s aural health, he stated, “The loud noise from the earphones can affect your hearing. If you use earphones for the majority of the day, this violates the 60% intensity / 60-minute rule. If possible, reduce the volume and use the device for a shorter duration to avoid ear injury.”
Also read: How to take care of your mental health.
As for whether using earphones/earbuds cause infection in the ear, he said, “As mentioned earlier, ears have a self cleaning mechanism. If you are constantly using earphones, you are obstructing the outflow of wax, the wax then tends to get accumulated because of which could give rise to an infection in the ear. Headphones are relatively better than earphones. They also do not interfere with the drainage mechanism of the ears.”
He recommended the following dos:
- Reduce the amount of time you use earphones/ headphones in a day
- If you are working in a noisy environment, then limit the amount of time you spend in that particular place or use earplugs. The WHO recommends 75 decibels for 8 hours and if you are exposing yourself to more than that, then you have to use earplugs to prevent hearing loss.
He recommended the following don’ts:
- Do not listen to music with high volume
- Do not use q tips to clean the earwax
- Do not use unnecessary ear drops unless it is recommended by a doctor. If you have ear pain, take paracetamol.
- While traveling in a flight, during takeoff and landing, ears tend to get blocked. This is caused due to the pressure difference between the outer ear and middle ear. Swallowing your saliva or chewing gums can help to open up the tube that connects the middle ear and the nose thereby equalizing the pressure between the outer ear and middle ear, thus preventing ear pain.
