Negative Effects of Using Earphones

Negative Effects of Using Earphones to Listen to Music

 

Earphones and headphones are one example of a technology necessity at the moment. Technology is the greatest evil of our time. You will come across a number of people throughout the day listening to music or talking through earphones whether you are taking an early morning walk, crossing the street, boarding a metro, traveling in a bus, sipping coffee in a café, or simply making a call in the office. However, even if you aren't causing any annoyance to the people around you by leaving your earphones plugged in for an excessive amount of time, you are causing enough harm to yourself that you won't even notice.

 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the risk of hearing loss among young people worldwide could be as high as one billion due to the risky listening habits they engage in while using earphones.

 

The headphones' excessive volume exposure to the ears is the primary issue. Earphones are extremely risky because they can produce extremely loud levels of sound very close to the ear. However, it is important to keep in mind that the length of time spent using the earphones is just as important as the volume of the headphones. Because they are kept in too many places, earphones are also exposed to germs. Sharing earphones makes it easier for these germs to spread, which in turn causes harm to the ears.

 

How do loud earphones hurt your ears?

The eardrum vibrates when sound waves from earphones reach our ears. This vibration travels through the small bones to the inner ear, where it reaches the cochlea, a chamber filled with fluid and made up of thousands of tiny hairs. The fluid vibrates when this vibration reaches the cochlea, causing the hairs to move as well. The stronger the vibrations and the more the hairs move, the louder the sound.

 

The hair cells eventually lose their ability to sense vibration if they are exposed to loud music for an extended period of time. The cells may also sometimes bend or fold over in response to loud music, resulting in temporary hearing loss. These extreme vibrations may or may not allow the hair cells to recover. However, even if they recover, the majority of the time, they are unable to function normally, which can result in permanent deafness or hearing loss and is nearly impossible to recover from.

 

Effects of Wearing Earplugs

Earphones can harm our ears in a number of ways, including the following:

• Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)
• Tinnitus.
• Hyperacusis.
• Loss of hearing
• Dizziness.
• Ear infection
• A lot of ear wax.
• Pain in the ears.
• Impact on the mind.

 

NIHL: The duration of exposure that can result in noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is just as important as the volume that you expose your ears to through those earphones.

 

Tinnitus: A ringing, buzzing, or roaring sound in the ear or head can be caused by damaged hair cells in the cochlea. Tinnitus is the medical term for this resulting electrical noise.

 

Hyperacusis: Over half of people with tinnitus also tend to become highly sensitive to everyday sounds in the environment. Hyperacusis is the term used to describe this condition.

 

Loss of hearing: As was mentioned earlier, prolonged exposure to loud music or prolonged exposure to it can cause hair cells to sag excessively and severely, which can result in temporary or permanent hearing loss.

 

Dizziness: Dizziness is frequently brought on by the increased pressure in the ear canal brought on by loud noise.

 

Ear infections: Because the earphones are inserted directly into the ear canal, they prevent air from passing through, increasing the risk of ear infections. Earphone use for a long time and on a regular basis also encourages the growth of bacteria. These bacteria remain on the earphones and infect the ear with continued use. When people share earphones, the same bacteria from one person's ear spread to the other, putting them at risk for serious ear infections as well.

 

A lot of ear wax: Additionally, prolonged use of the earphones results in the formation of excessive ear wax, which increases the likelihood of tinnitus, hearing loss, earache, and frequent ear infections.

 

Pain in the ears: Poorly fitting earphones and wearing them for an extended period of time can cause pain that can often spread to the inner ear and cause soreness in the area around the ear, from the jaw to the top of the head.

 

Impact on the mind: In the long run, the headphones' electromagnetic waves also have a negative impact on the brain. Signals from the ear to the brain are carried by nerve fibers that are insulated by high decibel noise levels. The brain can also be affected by ear infections.

 

By being aware of the consequences and making small, routine changes, one can protect the ear from severe damage caused by earphones.

 

How can earphones prevent damage to hearing?

Headphones and earphones can damage your hearing in a few ways:

• The most fundamental modification is to reduce the volume.

• Limit the duration of your exposure to loud noise.

• Make use of headphones that block out sound.

• Avoid direct contact with the ear canal and direct sound vibrations by wearing an over-the-ear model.

• Sanitize the headphones on a regular basis to prevent bacteria, sweat, and shed skin from building up.

• When traveling by car, bus, train, or even walking, do not use earphones. The surrounding noise raises the decibel level of a public transportation system that is already extremely loud.