Earbuds Safety Concerns: We hear all sorts of things like, "Don't do this or it will affect your health," or "Don't do that." Let's tell you about one such rumor spreading about Bluetooth.

Can Bluetooth Earphones Increase Cancer Risk? Wireless earphones have become a part of everyday life. From office calls to music and social media, these devices, which remain in the ears for hours, have raised questions about whether the radiation emitted by Bluetooth earphones is harmful to health and could cause cancer. Viral claims on the internet even say that wearing them is like holding a microwave near your head. Let us examine how much truth and how much myth there is in these claims. 

What do experts say?

To dispel this confusion, Dr. Jay Jagannathan, a neurosurgeon at the Michigan Neurosurgery Institute in the US, recently clarified the situation based on scientific facts in a video. In this video, shared on Instagram on October 13, 2025, he responded to a viral clip that compared wearing AirPods to being exposed to microwaves.

According to Dr. Jagannathan, this comparison is completely misleading. He explained that the radiation emitted by wireless earphones is "non-ionizing" and is not considered capable of damaging DNA. This is why there is no concrete evidence directly linking it to cancer.

Radiation is much lower than that of a mobile phone.

They say that the radiation emitted by Bluetooth earphones is significantly lower than that of mobile phones. According to data, the radiation emitted by devices like AirPods can be anywhere from 10 to 400 times lower than that of mobile phones. So, while there's no conclusive evidence of cancer from mobile phone use, the risk of earphones is considered even lower.

What is the example given for?

The research most often cited for cancer claims is a study by the National Toxicology Program (NTP). This study exposed rats to long-term radiofrequency radiation. It found a slight increase in the incidence of certain types of heart cancer in male rats, while no apparent effect was observed in female rats.

Dr. Jagannathan explains that this study was later reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration. The FDA stated clearly that this research cannot prove a direct link between cancer and radiation in humans. It's also important to note that the radiation exposure to the rats in this study was under conditions different from those typically encountered in real life from mobile phones or earphones. Experts say that, based on current scientific evidence, it would be incorrect to conclude that wireless earphones cause cancer.