Dr Jafferhusein S. Sura: Hearing aids like in-the-canal earplugs, earbuds, and over-the-head headphones provide immense convenience and enable us to listen to music, podcasts, and receive calls without disturbing our surroundings. They direct the sound into our ears, and as such, they are a part of everyday life for many. But misuse, or overuse, of such devices can cause a range of ear issues, including hearing impairment.
It’s important to know how to use them safely in order to safeguard your hearing.
Know What Is Safe Maximum Exposure To Sounds
The World Health Organization (WHO) also provides recommendations regarding safe maximum durations for which you can be exposed to various levels of sound without damaging your ears. The following is a rough summary of their guidelines:
- Regular conversation is usually 60-65 decibels (dB). It is safe to listen to for long periods of time.
- Personal equipment such as earbuds and headphones produce sound at 80-85 dB. One must monitor use to prevent hearing damage at these levels.
- Sounds that are too loud, such as a lawnmower at more than 90 dB, must be limited to as much as 8 hours a day.
- Dangerously noisy places, like a discotheque, with over 100 dB sound, must be avoided for over 2 hours.
- To safeguard your hearing, you should keep your listening device at not more than 60% of its capacity.
Practical Tips For Healthy Earphone Use
If you must wear earphones for a long time or listen to high volumes of music constantly, there are some key habits to embrace to preserve your hearing and ear health:
Don’t Scratch Your Ears: When ears get dry or itchy, refrain from scratching your ears with fingers or objects. Scratching would dry and damage your skin in ears over the long term.
Use Coconut Oil As A Lubricant: If you are having itchy or dry ears, especially if you have sensitive skin, you should look into using coconut oil. Coconut oil is a gentle lubricant that contains the ability to dislodge dryness without posing any risk.
Select Over-The-Ear Headphones: When available, use over-the-ear headphones rather than earbuds. Over-the-ear headphones won’t as readily contribute to ear infection and muffle outside sounds as well, so you can play at lower, safer volumes.
Clean Earphones: Clean your earphones or earbuds occasionally to prevent bacterial accumulation. If you have rubber-tipped earphones, clean them from time to time with an alcohol swab to keep them hygienic and prevent ear infections.
Adhere To Volumes Recommended: Always listen to music or anything else at the prescribed level of volumes. Listening to music very loud for a lengthy duration of time greatly raises the risk of hearing damage. Leaving it at a level of 60% capacity of the equipment is a best practice to do.
Take Frequent Breaks: Give your ears rest occasionally. Rest your ears every hour of uninterrupted listening to give them time to recover from the exposure to sound. This maintains your hearing fitness and prevents sound fatigue.
Dr Jafferhusein S. Sura is Consultant ENT Surgeon, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai.
[Disclaimer: The information provided in the article, including treatment suggestions shared by doctors, is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.]
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