The good news is that simple adjustments to how you use your headphones or earbuds can help. Here are four potential risks that come with using these devices, and how you can avoid them.
1. Hearing Loss
Perhaps the biggest concern with headphone or earbud use is the potential damage to your hearing.
“Prolonged exposure to loud volume can damage the fragile hair cells in the inner ear,” explains Ross Cushing, a clinical audiologist based in Clarksburg, Maryland, and the CEO of Live Better Hearing + Balance, a family-owned audiology practice.
Inside your inner ear sits the cochlea — a delicate, spiral-shaped structure that helps your brain interpret sound into something you can understand. Tiny hair cells within it detect vibrations from sound waves and convert them into electrical signals, which is what allows you to hear.
“Once those hair cells are damaged, they don’t come back, which is why keeping volume at a safe level is very important,” Dr. Cushing says.
How to Lower Your Risk
Wearing headphones or earbuds isn’t a one-way ticket to hearing loss — it’s all about volume and duration.
“You can avoid hearing loss if you keep the volume at a safe level,” Cushing says. “I tell my patients to remember the 60/60 rule of thumb: 60 percent of the maximum volume or less for no more than 60 minutes at a time, including short breaks.” Recommendations from Cleveland Clinic are a little looser: they advise listening for no more than about 90 minutes if you have the volume set at about 80 percent of the maximum, but say listening at 50 to 60 percent of max volume is probably safe most of the day.
When it comes to earbuds in particular, there’s another simple hack you can put to the test.
“A general rule of thumb is to hold an earbud at arm’s length. If you can hear enough of the song to identify it, this may be a sign that it’s too loud,” says Anish V. Thakkar, the founder and the director of audiology at Los Angeles Center for Hearing & Balance.
You may also want to consider buying new headphones or earbuds. High-quality products that are categorized as “studio” or “mixing” headphones are your best bet to prevent hearing damage, Cushing says, as these are generally tuned properly without too much bass. “Loud bass frequencies can often encourage unsafe volume levels overall,” he explains.
2. Tinnitus
Tinnitus, which is the perception of sound when no external noise is present (commonly described as “ringing in the ears”), can also occur because of headphone use.
“Some tinnitus is permanent, but it can also occur [temporarily] after listening to something with the volume too high,” Cushing says. If you notice ringing in your ears after using headphones, it’s a warning sign that the volume was turned up too loudly, he adds. “Continued overexposure can lead to permanent hearing loss,” he explains.
Tinnitus also becomes more common as you get older, since it’s connected to presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, Thakkar adds, noting that higher rates are often seen in people between 40 and 80.”
How to Lower Your Risk
You can help prevent tinnitus the same way you would prevent hearing loss: by keeping the volume on your headphones or earbuds below the 60 percent threshold, Cushing says.
3. Earwax Buildup and Ear Infections
Have you ever cleaned your earbuds? Even though it makes sense, it’s something many of us don’t think to do. Audiologists say it’s imperative to keep earbuds clean to avoid hearing issues and potential ear infections.
“Earbuds can push earwax deeper into the ear canal, causing blockages and temporary hearing changes,” Cushing says.
Not to mention, old earwax residue on your earbuds can lead to infection, Thakkar says, because earbuds can trap moisture and create a warm, wet environment for bacteria, fungi, and other microbes to form.
Bacteria and fungi can seep into open cuts in your ear canal and increase your risk of an outer ear infection, commonly known as swimmer’s ear, says Thakkar.
How to Lower Your Risk
Wearing earbuds can increase your risk of earwax buildup, since it can push earwax deeper into the ear canal. “I’d recommend using over-the-ear headphones [instead[,” Cushing says, which can help avoid this issue since the device doesn’t push into your ear.
It’s also a good idea to wipe down your headphones with warm water and dish soap as well as rubbing alcohol, according to brands like Bose. Be sure to look at the manufacturer’s website for tips on how to clean your specific headphones.
If you have any discomfort or muffled hearing, you should see an audiologist or an ear, nose, and throat specialist, as it may be a sign of earwax buildup that can mask as hearing loss. If you feel pain or itchiness in your ears, it’s important to stop using all headphones and earbuds until you can have a professional look at your ears to see if you have an ear infection.
If you choose to wear earbuds, Cushing recommends using an alcohol wipe on them daily or at least weekly to clean them and prevent possible infections. “And don’t use Q-tips for [earwax removal] — it almost always makes earwax buildup worse,” he says.
4. Dizziness and Vertigo
Though it’s not as common as the above risks, earbuds and headphones could potentially lead to vertigo, or a sensation of feeling off balance or dizzy.
One recent case report identified a connection between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), the most common form of vertigo, and earbud use. Specifically, one patient’s episodes of dizziness, tinnitus, and tingling sensations in the ear completely resolved after he stopped using earbuds, and instead, started using bone-conduction headphones. These types of headphones send sound through your skull instead of your ear canal.
“It’s possible that loud sounds can cause dizziness and vertigo because the sound pressure can affect the part of the inner ear responsible for your sense of balance,” Cushing says.
How to Lower Your Risk
If you’re experiencing vertigo episodes, try taking a break from using earbuds or headphones and see if that helps reduce your symptoms.
No matter which of the above symptoms you’re experiencing, Cushing recommends that all headphone and earbud users get their hearing tested regularly in order to catch problems before they develop or get worse.
The Takeaway
- Headphones and earbuds are generally safe to use, but if they aren’t used appropriately or cleaned properly, they can pose some possible health risks, such as tinnitus, vertigo, and even hearing loss.
- Some audiologists recommend the “60/60 rule” to protect your hearing: Listen to your headphones or earbuds at no more than 60 percent of the maximum volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time, including short breaks.
- Earbuds, in particular, can trap moisture and bacteria, creating the perfect breeding ground for germs. If you don’t clean them regularly, they can cause earwax buildup and increase your risk of infection.
- When in doubt, book an appointment with an audiologist or an ear, nose, and throat specialist for a hearing test and a full evaluation.
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