Are Headphones Better Than Earphones for Your Hearing?

Are Earphones Good for Long-Term Use?

This is a question that many people have, as it can affect your hearing ability. ENT specialist Dr. Rachna Mehta has spoken about this and explained which is better for you, in-ear earphones or over-ear headphones.

According to Dr. Mehta, when earphones are inserted into the ear canal, they can push the wax present in the ear deeper into the ear, causing the blockage. The second reason is that since it directly affects our eardrum, even a slight increase in volume can cause long-term damage to the ears. The third reason could be that since earphones completely close the ears, they trap moisture, increasing the risk of infection.

If you use earphones for a long time, it can be harmful to your ears. Therefore, some things should be kept in mind while using earphones, such as:

• Do not play the earphones at a very high volume.
• Do not wear earphones for long periods of time.
• Keep the earphones clean.
• Replace the earphones regularly.

If you keep these things in mind, you can protect your ears from the damage caused by earphones.

What is the right thing to do?

A report suggests that the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is increasing due to the continuous and long-term use of earphones, especially at high volumes. In addition, the ambient noise level in cities is already above the WHO’s recommended limit, which further deteriorates hearing ability due to prolonged use of earphones. So, what is the right thing to do? If you only use earphones for a short time occasionally, that’s fine. But if you use earphones for long periods of time to listen to meetings, lectures, or music, it would be better if you use headphones instead.

Accordingly, young people are advised to limit their exposure to high volumes and keep the volume below 60% at most. If possible, use noise cancellation. Get auditory health checks done to detect it in the early stages.