'Avoid pushing earphones deep'

The next time you wish to push earphones deep inside hoping that it will not fall off, think twice. If plugging in earphones with loud music could cause tinnitus and deafness, plugging it in too hard might also affect the passage of the ear, according to doctors. 

Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists in the City said on the eve of the International Ear Care Day that the number of youngsters walking into hospitals due to loss of hearing after being exposed to loud noise had gone up.

“Parents of youngsters who are brought to our hospitals often say that they listen to loud music on gadgets for long. These days, the number of them walking in has gone up considerably,” Dr Ramesh Kaulgod, ENT Surgeon, K C General Hospital, told Deccan Herald. “To ensure that earphones do not fall off, one keeps pushing it deep inside. Little do they realise how much harm is caused. The ear canal might get damaged if rubbed against hard,” he further said.

Kaulgod pointed out that the use of ear buds would push wax further inside. “There are natural mechanisms by which the ear wax gets pushed out. There is no need for one to do anything about it,” he said. “The wax protects the ear drums from foreign particles,” he said. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that there are over 36 crore people across the world suffering from ‘disabling hearing loss,’ which accounts for 5.3 per cent of the world’s population. 

“At least half of all cases of hearing loss are avoidable through primary prevention, including healthy ear care practices,” according to the official WHO website.International Ear Care Day is observed on March 3, this year. The theme is ‘Ear care can prevent hearing loss.’