‘Wore Them 10-12 Hours A Day’: Woman Develops Severe Infection After ‘Headphone Overuse’ — How To Use It Safely

Earphones are certainly a lifesaver. From long train journeys to noisy flights, plugging them in and playing your favourite song instantly creates a little bubble of calm. It is like hitting the reset

button when the world feels too chaotic. But falling asleep with earphones still tucked into your ear? Well, although a majority of us are guilty of the habit, this practice can lead to detrimental health effects.

Recently, a woman shared a note on X explaining how prolonged earphone usage caused her an eardrum infection. Through the post, she issued a cautionary message to social media users about the dangers of wearing earphones for an extended period. The write-up was accompanied by a screenshot of the medicines she is forced to take due to the ailment.

“2–3 years of nonstop earphone use finally cost me this. I used to wear them 10–12 hrs a day, even while sleeping (mostly in my right ear). For the past 2 days, I’ve been hearing a constant ‘tinnn’ sound and couldn’t hear anything from that ear. Today, the ENT told me my eardrum is infected, and pus has built up inside. Please, BEWARE. Protect your ears before it is too late,” she explained.

2–3 years of nonstop earphone use finally cost me this.

Internet Reacts To Woman’s Earphone Story

“This is scary. I use earphones for 4-5 hours a day and now I’m actually worried. Need to cut it down ASAP,” admitted a user. “The infection isn’t because of earphones. Same earphones for years might cause but switching to new ones every half year won’t give issues,” pointed out another.

“Why 10-12 hrs? What’s the need? I feel uncomfortable if I do this for an hour,” shared an individual. “How am I going to protect myself from crying babies on flights now?” asked a disappointed person.

Correct Way To Use Earphones

According to a report published by the NIH, exposure to sound levels above 85 dB for more than 2 hours can cause ear damage. So it’s important to set the limit at 70 dB. Additionally, earphones must be equipped with some form of hearing protection, including earmuffs, foam plugs and reusable non-custom plugs. Also, using a sound level meter app might help you determine whether the volume is too high.