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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...

Helpful tips for using ear drops...



Ear drops are frequently prescribed to combat an ear infection. Ear drops help antibiotics reach the site of infection — helpful tips to remember when using ear drops.
  • Always clean your hands before touching the bottle.
  • Do not use the same bottle for both ears if you have an infection in both ears. 
  • Do not share your ear drops with others, and this is to prevent cross-infection, and the infection in their ear might not be the same.
  • Let the ear drops trickle into the ear canal to get a good response.
  • Store the ear drops as directed on the label and discard the bottle after finishing the course.



How to instil ear drops?
It is always better to ask someone else to instil ear drops for you. Clean your ear canal with gently mopping with an earbud. Do not rub with earbud as inflamed ear canal can get more damaged. Now lie on your side with your infected ear facing up. Now your helper can gently pull your ear back and up to open ear canal. Now instil the prescribed number of drops in the ear canal. Gently rub the cartilage in the front of the ear canal; this will help to push the drops inside the ear canal. Now stay in this position for 2-3 minutes. In some cases, if your ear canal is swollen due to ear infection and no ear drops are going in, your doctor may place an ear wick sponge in the ear canal. Ear wick helps absorb ear drops inside the ear canal.



What to do if you feel a burning sensation while using the ear drops?
Burning in the ear canal may be due to chemicals in the drops. It is possible on the first instillation. Contact your doctor if you continue to have burning or sharp pain and stop using the drops.

What if I can taste the ear drops in my mouth?
The ear is connected to the back of your nose with a tube called Eustachian tube. If you have a hole in the eardrum, ear drops can enter the middle ear and through your Eustachian tube to the back of your throat.


Why do my ears feel blocked after using ear drops?
If you have wax or infective debris in the ear canal, this can absorb ear drops and expand. This can make your ear feel blocked. Consulting with your ENT doctor and getting you ears cleaned can help with this symptom.


Mr Gaurav Kumar
Consultant Ear Nose Throat Surgeon

To Make An Appointment

Book Online


07494914140

info@entsurgeonclinic.co.uk

Helping patients with Specialist Expertise and Kindness

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

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