Hearing Protection Tips: Everywhere we look these days, we see people wearing earphones. Let's explain when this becomes dangerous and what to do to avoid it.

Disadvantages of headphones

Can Headphones Cause Permanent Hearing Loss? In today's era, technology is both our need and compulsion. Earphones or headphones are the biggest example of this. Be it a morning walk, a metro journey, a bus journey, sitting in a cafe, or a call in the office, people are seen wearing earphones everywhere. This may not cause any problem to the people around, but continuous and careless use can seriously affect your hearing ability. The World Health Organization estimates that around one billion youth across the world are at the risk of losing their hearing ability due to unsafe listening habits.

The biggest concerns are sound intensity and duration of use. Earphones transmit loud sounds directly to the ears from a very short distance. Continuously listening to music at high volume or wearing earphones for long periods of time are both dangerous. Furthermore, earphones are stored in different places, leading to bacteria accumulation. Sharing them further increases the risk of infection.

What is the problem?

According to a report from Manipal Hospitals, when we listen to loud noises, the sound waves vibrate the eardrum. These vibrations reach the cochlea in the inner ear, which contains thousands of tiny hair cells. Loud noise puts increased pressure on these cells. If this happens repeatedly, these cells can lose their sensitivity or become permanently damaged. This is what causes noise-induced hearing loss.

Many people experience a ringing sound in their ears, called tinnitus. In some cases, even normal sounds become unbearable, a condition called hyperacusis. Prolonged exposure to loud noise can also cause dizziness, ear pain, excessive earwax buildup, and frequent infections.

What should be done to avoid this?

Health experts recommend keeping the volume moderate and avoiding prolonged listening. Noise-canceling or over-the-ear headphones may be a better option as they reduce external noise, eliminating the need to increase the volume. Regular cleaning of earphones is also important. Avoid wearing earphones in already noisy environments such as traveling, as this increases the overall decibel level. A small precaution can prevent permanent damage to your ears.