Due to the use of headphones, dirt accumulates in the ear, which can clog the ears and lead to ear infections. In addition, headphones can act as cotton swabs and push the wax deeper into the ear, causing problems such as earache and dizziness.
The so-called headset is a simple loudspeaker. This speaker is responsible for amplifying the sound. If the sound is not too loud, there is no chance of damaging the ear. Acoustic trauma is trauma due to high sound at very high decibels. Human beings cannot tolerate that sound and cannot listen to music at such a high volume. Therefore, listening to loud music cannot cause any hearing loss within normal limits. Loud noises that can cause hearing loss cause acoustic trauma. Exposure to these acoustic traumas can be caused by gunshots, airplane take-off noises or workers in noisy iron and steel factories. These people wear earplugs that block sound in the ear and can prevent hearing loss.
How to protect your hearing health
Hearing loss due to noise exposure can occur on its own after a very high exposure or, more commonly, over time with poor hearing health habits. Here are some ways to keep ears safe;
Keep the volume at 70 decibels: Roughly speaking, if it is difficult to speak or be heard over ambient noise, you can consider the noise to be more than 75 decibels. Since it is difficult to know what the decibel output is for smartphones, you may want to consider using your device at 50 percent and reduce your listening time.
Choose volume-limited headphones for children: There are headphones that have a limited maximum volume. Even if they keep the volume below a certain limit, it is usually 85 decibels. However, this limit is not enough for healthy hearing.
Use a decibel meter: There are some applications downloaded to smartphones. These applications measure the noise level in the environment and guide the person.
Use a noise blocker: When choosing headphones, those with noise-canceling features can be preferred. This prevents both environmental noise and increasing the volume to drown it out.
Be alert to hearing loss: The most common symptoms of hearing loss include difficulty hearing in noisy areas and feeling like you can hear people but not understanding what they are saying. Tinnitus is often an early warning sign of deterioration in the auditory structure.
Have your hearing examined regularly: People over 50 years of age or those exposed to unreliable levels of sound should have their hearing checked once a year.
What is the ideal headphone wearing time and volume?
Hearing loss can only occur at 4,000 hertz. However, this is not a frequency that is used very often. Therefore, people who are exposed to frequency loss due to high noise may suffer from tinnitus later in life. Wearing earplugs normally disrupts the flow of the external auditory canal. Thus, earwax cannot flow out freely and accumulates inside. More dangerous than this, however, is the use of ear sticks. If the earwax from the earphones cannot drain out and becomes blocked, you should be examined by an otolaryngologist.
The most important thing to be aware of when using earphones is the occurrence of fungal infections. If the fungal infection has infected the earphones, no one else should use the earphones. Headphones that cover the auricle and do not cover the canal can be used.