Limit Earbud Use to Avoid Ear Infections

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Using earbuds for a long time is making young people get really bad ear infections. Also, listening to loud music through earbuds for a long time can hurt the delicate parts inside the ear.

Prof. Virendra Verma, head of KGMU ENT department said, "Every week, we come across four cases of ear infection in which extended use of earphones is common. The infections increase more during hot and humid weather because of moisture in the environment."

‘Research has indicated that the prolonged use of earphones has been linked to an increased incidence of hearing loss among adolescents and young adults in the age range of 16 to 30. #EarInfection #Earbuds ’

He added, "Five to six years ago, such cases were rare. Studies have proven that prolonged usage of earphones has increased the prevalence of hearing loss in adolescents and young adults between the ages of 16 and 30."

Risks of Prolonged Ear Canal Closure

Explaining the reasons behind the infection as well as hearing loss, Dr. Rakesh Srivastava, president of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India (AOI) in Lucknow, who sees around seven such cases weekly, said the ear canal needs air just like the rest of our body, and keeping it closed for a long time leads to sweat buildup and infection.

"The mastoid (bone behind the ear) and middle ear may catch infection due to prolonged headphone usage because there are tiny hairs in our ear canal which provides space for fungus and bacteria present in the air to thrive. When we use the canal for a long time, bacterial and fungal infections start to grow," he added.

"To avoid this, we must follow the 60-60 formula, which suggests taking a 10-minute break every 60 minutes of using earbuds, and the volume should not exceed 60 percent," he suggested.

Former ENT surgeon at Balrampur Hospital, Dr. S.C. Saxena said: "If such infections become frequent, this illness might become resistant to all treatment, affecting the hearing bones and eventually resulting in hearing loss. Therefore, adolescents need to be taught about appropriate listening habits and the risks of excessive use of headphones."

Source: IANS