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Showing posts from October, 2020

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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...
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Professional Voice Disorders

  Most professional voice users can be regarded as vocal gymnasts. They need to have the good vocal calibre to match their demanding needs. For this reason, they are more prone to develop disorders of the voice. It is needless to emphasise that their existence is centred around their voice and hence the substantial psychological impact on them at the subtlest aberration. How do I care for my voice? How can I stay away from voice problems? Good vocal health can be ensured by adhering to principles of vocal hygiene. Good voicing techniques, warm-ups and cool-downs, avoiding unwanted strain like shouting and cheerleading adequate hydration and rest, regular diet and sleep are essential for good vocal health. Who will be able to answer all my concerns and help me? Otolaryngologists with a special interest in professional voice can help you sort issues relating to voice. They work in close association with voice therapists(SALT with a special interest in voice), Vocologists and voice co...
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Ear infection in children

How can I tell my toddler or child has an ear infection? Ear infections are prevalent from the age of 3 months until the age of 5 years. Toddlers may become irritable, start pulling their ear, excessive crying, running a temperature, follow cold or flu, in some cases may be associated with flu, cold and cough. In some cases, they can also present with ear discharge. Why do toddlers and children suffer from ear infections? The ear is connected to the back of the nose with a tube called the eustachian tube. The eustachian tube is responsible for maintaining equal pressure on both sides of the eardrum. In toddlers and children, this tube is shorter and straiter. When a child gets flu or cold, the virus can lead to inflammation of eustachian tube and middle ear.  On average, a child suffers from 6-8 flu or cold per year in the early years of their life as they develop their immunity.  When should I contact my doctor? Most of the ear infections may settle down with self-help medica...
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Loss of smell (Anosmia)

What causes loss of smell?   Sense of smell is vital to us. Loss of sense of smell is most commonly due to a cold or flu. Patients who suffer from sinus infections or hay fever can have intermittent loss of smell. In some cases, due to growth, such as nasal polyps or, in rare cases, a tumour can affect the sense of smell. These conditions can either lead to a total loss of smell, reduced sense of smell, altered smell or a sensation of smell when it is not there. Why do we lose the sense of smell in COVID-19 or Coronavirus infection? Coronavirus has been well-known to cause flu-like symptoms. COVID 19 is a type of coronavirus, so WHO has stated loss of smell as a possible symptom of COVID 19. In some cases, COVID-19 infection can affect nerve endings, resulting in Anosmia symptoms. Return of sense of smell depends on how these nerve endings regenerate. Should I be worried about the loss of sense of smell? The loss of sense of smell can be due to COVID infection. There can be other c...
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