When we use earbuds, besides sound, what else are we putting into our ears?
Whether talking on the phone, or listening to music or a podcast, many of us spend hours a day with headphones or earbuds. One published in 2017 in Seminars in Hearing showed that these devices were used, on average, between 47 and 88 hours per month.
Health advice about headphones tends to focus on the impact the loud sounds may have in the audition.
To avoid the hearing lossfor example, the World Health Organization recommends that the volume remains below 60% of maximum of the device and that devices capable of monitoring sound exposure and limiting volume are used.
But, Besides sound, what else are we introducing in the ears? The use of headphones, especially in-ear headphones, such as earbuds, blocks the ear canal and puts the skin in contact with dirt or bacteria that they may carry — in addition to a silent danger: .
In an article on , Rina WongHealth Sciences researcher at Curtin University, explains what we need to know to maintain our clean and protected ears.
First, let’s look at the ear
Os headphones that cover the ear they involve the entire external ear — the elastic cartilage covered by skin, shaped to capture sound waves. You in-ear headphones (like hearing aids) are designed to fit and cover the entrance to the external ear canal, called concha.
Sound vibrations travel through the ear canalS-shaped and a few centimeters long, until they reach the eardrum. The deepest parts of the ear canal produce cerumen and oils. These substances help maintain healthy, hydrated skin that is less vulnerable to infections.
Os small hairs in the ear canal also help regulate temperature and prevent the entry of external waste. Together with the cerumen, help retain and expel small particles, dead skin and bacteria from the ear canal.
Cerumen is the natural ear self-cleaning mechanism and, normally, We only notice it when there is too much of it.
One excessive accumulation It can affect hearing or even obstruct the earphone mesh. But do not try to remove the earwax ears on your own initiative. If you are concerned, ask a pharmacist or your GP for advice.
How headphones can affect ear bacteria
Healthy ear canals accommodate a variety of microorganisms harmless — especially bacteria, but also fungi and viruses. These compete with each other for space and nutrientsand this diversity makes the installation of potential pathogens, that is, disease-causing microorganisms, more difficult.
But the use of headphones (and other in-ear devices, such as hearing aids or earplugs) can upset the balance between “good” and “bad” bacteria.
One from 2024 compared the bacteria present in the external ear canal of 50 people who wore hearing aids and 80 who did not. The researchers concluded that hearing aid userswhose external auditory canal remains blocked for prolonged periods, had fewer types of bacteria than those who didn’t use them.
Another, from 2025, analyzed how the use of headphones, including models circum-auricular, intra-auricular from supra-auriculars, affected the presence of fungi and bacteria in the ear canal, and concluded that the use of these devices was associated with a increased risk of ear infectionsespecially when they were shared.
This may happen because the use of headphones, especially in-ear headphones, makes the external ear canal warmer and moister. Moisture retention is particularly likely when practicing physical exercise and sweats with headphones on.
One Higher humidity increases the risk of infection in the ear and discharge, including pus.
Prolonged use of in-ear devices, such as hearing aids or earbuds, may also causeInterfere with the natural “self-cleaning” function of the ear, to which cerumen contributes.
So what should I do?
Most of us need, or like, to use headphones on a daily basis. But to maintain good hearing health, it is important give your ears a rest.
Allow your ear canals to “breathe” at various times throughout the day so that they do not remain constantly clogged, humid and hot.
You can also try bone conduction headphones. These do not block the ear canal because they transmit sound through the skull directly to the inner earwithout the need to obstruct the channel, but can be expensive.
Furthermore, although they allow the ears to breathe, high intensity vibrations, i.e. volume altocan also damage hearing. As with any type of headphones, caution is required.
Other recommendations
Regularly clean devices. Otorhinolaryngologists recommend that it varies between once a week, daily or after physical exercise.
For example, you can clean them with a cloth or use a soft-bristled children’s toothbrush moistened with mild soap and water. Pat dry with paper towels and let them dry for a few hours before charging or reusing them again.
Still, it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. And don’t forget to also clean the box and the structure of the earphones.
Don’t use headphones when you are sick. If you have an ear infection, avoid using headphones as they can increase the temperature and humidity inside the ear and slow recovery.
Pay attention to the symptoms. If your ears become itchy, red, or runny, stop using in-ear devices and seek medical advice.
