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Earbuds vs Over-Ears: Which One Is Silently Damaging Your Hearing?

Headphones are no longer an occasional accessory—they’re part of daily life. From early-morning podcasts to late-night playlists, our ears are spending more time under acoustic load than ever before. But a question keeps coming up in clinics, classrooms, and conversations around ear health: Are earbuds worse for your hearing than over-ear headphones? Let’s move beyond opinion and aesthetics. By looking at sound pressure levels , hygiene , and long-term listening behaviour , we can reach a clear, evidence-informed conclusion. 1. Sound Pressure Levels: Distance Matters More Than You Think The single most important factor in headphone-related hearing risk is the amount of sound energy that  reaches the inner ear . Earbuds (In-Ear Headphones) Sit millimetres from the eardrum Deliver sound directly into the ear canal Require lower absolute power , but often result in higher sound pressure at the cochlea Users tend to increase volume in noisy environments (commuting, g...

Tonsil Stones or Tonsilloliths









Where do Tonsil Stones come from?
Tonsil stones or tonsillolith are formed in the tiny crevices on the tonsil surface. Tonsils are present at the back of the throat. Two large tonsils on each side can catch food particles when we eat. This food debris can accumulate bacteria and give a bad smell. This mixture of bacteria and food debris can become solid to form tonsil stones.

Can Tonsil Stones go away on their own?
Tonsil stones form due to food particle and bacteria. You can prevent stone formation by regularly rinsing mouth after every meal, good oral hygiene and dental care. Gargling with salt water and gentle use of bud to deliver the stones can help in some cases. Soft water floss can help keep tonsil surface clean. If you have, post nasal drip due to sinusitis, seeking treatment advice from ENT surgeon can help. You should not use sharp objects to clean tonsil stones or make tonsil surface bleed.


What symptoms do tonsil stones cause?


Tonsil stones can cause bad odour from your mouth, which can socially affect you. Tonsil stones can cause you to have frequent tonsillitis, fever, ear pain and rarely neck infection. Some patients can keep coughing tonsil stones, which can be a simple nuisance.


Who can help me with Tonsil stones?

You can start by maintaining good oral hygiene if this is not working booking consultation with ENT surgeon for tonsil surgery and dentist for dental hygiene will help.


What can be done to tonsil to stop forming stones?

Adult tonsil surgery can be harrowing with conventional techniques. The factor to consider is, do you have tonsillitis very frequently because of tonsil stones. If you have frequent tonsillitis then having your whole tonsil removed can be adviced. If your primary concern is regular tonsil stone formation, then just polishing the surface of tonsil with coblation or LASER can be an option. LASER tonsil surgery can be very painful after a few days and with relatively high post-surgery bleeding rate. Intracapsular tonsil surgery with coblation is very safe, minimally invasive and less painful technique. Coblation uses a very low thermal setting for cutting through the tissue. Less thermal damage means less pain.


Mr Gaurav Kumar
Consultant Ear Nose Throat Surgeon


To make an appointment

Book Appointment Online


E-mail  info@entsurgeonclinic.co.uk
Call  07494914140


Disclaimer: For general information only, always seek medical advice from your treating consultant. 

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