Frequent earphone use = increased bacteria in ear

pwd

I read that wearing earphones for an hour increases the level of bacteria in your ears by over 700 times.
That is probably an exageration, but studies have shown that wearing them does cause an increase:
http://cogprints.org/6200/
Personally I've had blocked and leaky ears for weeks. I've also been wearing headphones a lot (not in-ear ones, and not with the volume raised), including going to sleep with them on some nights.
So yesterday I didn't wear earphones/headphones at all. Today I woke up and my ears were not blocked.

SV

my ears have been blocked and leaky for ages and I never wore headphones..since I did they've stopped

go figure

Ann22

One of my ears drives me innocent sometimes with the itch:(...don't think it's anything to do with the headphones. The pleasure of cotton bud penetration is incredible though I know I shouldn't do it.

Scarydoll

I found the ipod ones really irritated my ears. Made them very sore. I've changed them to other ones and they are grand now. Also the sound is better and I don't have to have the volume as high.

WindSock

I am reluctant to share earphones with people. You're all mankbags.

On another note: Sometimes it is nice to turn your noiseybox off and listen to the sounds around you.

W.Shakes-Beer

i find when I wear earphones my ears get blocked up with wax alot quicker than if I havent worn them in a while.

pwd

WindSock wrote: »

I am reluctant to share earphones with people. You're all mankbags.

On another note: Sometimes it is nice to turn your noiseybox off and listen to the sounds around you.

You clearly don't live where I live

Scarydoll

WindSock wrote: »

I am reluctant to share earphones with people. You're all mankbags.

On another note: Sometimes it is nice to turn your noiseybox off and listen to the sounds around you.

Ewww I'd never share earphones, that is gross. Also on the way home today I decided not to listen to music. Was nice actually.

GLaDOS

I wear earphones all the time, never have trouble with my ears. That said, my immune system rocks.

we'llallhavetea_old

Ann22 wrote: »

One of my ears drives me innocent sometimes with the itch:(...don't think it's anything to do with the headphones. The pleasure of cotton bud penetration is incredible though I know I shouldn't do it.

oh the humble cotton bud! they're like dildos for the ear. i'm addicted to poking mine.

CrazyRabbit

pwd wrote: »

I read that wearing earphones for an hour increases the level of bacteria in your ears by over 700 times.
That is probably an exageration, but studies have shown that wearing them does cause an increase:
http://cogprints.org/6200/
Personally I've had blocked and leaky ears for weeks. I've also been wearing headphones a lot (not in-ear ones, and not with the volume raised), including going to sleep with them on some nights.
So yesterday I didn't wear earphones/headphones at all. Today I woke up and my ears were not blocked.

It's due to the music you are listening to. Your subconscious mind is sending you a message by clogging up the ear canal to block out the sound. Basically, you have terrible taste in music.

entropi

we'llallhavetea wrote: »

oh the humble cotton bud! they're like dildos for the ear. i'm addicted to poking mine.

You got big ears or something? :pac:

Sea Sharp

For some reason head-phones give me a migrane after a while.

If you're worried about bacteria Just go skanger and use speakers instead of earphones.

we'llallhavetea_old

Master of Nothing wrote: »

You got big ears or something? :pac:

no, i have stretchy ears

Splashed out on a nice pair and never a problem.. I sometimes wonder how people can spend so much on ipods etc. and have the crappy earphone quality. Def worth the extra few bob.

GTE

Is it a feeling of blocked ears or a feeling of pressure in the ear or do you have great big lump of candle falling out of yer ears?
How loudly do you listen to your iPod?

gurramok

Bring back the Ghettoblaster I say, solves all yer ear problems

On wax, yeh its a reason as well as having a bad ear(which I have to protect as i get older) I do not wear earphones much.

starbelgrade

I don't have an iPod.

Overheal

Id believe this. I had 2 ear infections in a year. And thats when I was living in unkempt college accoms and wearing my earphones everywhere I went.

Over-Ears for me from now on.

Is it a feeling of blocked ears or a feeling of pressure in the ear or do you have great big lump of candle falling out of yer ears?

Its having a Giant Zit/Pustule inside your ear canal which blocks it up, throbs, and being an Organ than picks up on the faintest vibrations of human hair to interpret into sound... Anything that obstructive, is immensely painful.

Oh, and then you bust it with a Q-tip, and your ear is filled with pus... so, the pain goes away (yaay!) for a few hours, but now you are bleeding like you would if you popped one of your face (so you now have a cut/open wound inside one of your most sensitive organs), and your deaf in that ear cos its now filled with blood and puss.

Ear infections are no fun. Ear infections hurt someone.

GTE

Im fearful of the onset of tinnitus. The feeling of pressure is a sign but a sign of many other things Im sure.

stovelid

scareydoll wrote: »

I found the ipod ones really irritated my ears.

They irritate most of the population.

Carlos_Ray

I think a little bit of ear bacteria is a small price to pay for blocking out the sound waves of the masses.

As I walk through the city centre I can listen to my own choice of sounds as opposed to... scangers screeching, D4 teenagers shouting conversations in american/British accents, taxi men beeping, clothes shops playing crap music, and the general drone of cars driving at 30kmph.

One of the best benefits is avoiding those annoying charity mugging bastards. Jumping out in front of you trying to act cool in order to "bag you." Muppets. I just point to the trusty earphones and walk on. Its basically saying, " I'm listening to my own sounds now, don't even try to pollute my brain with your bullsh1t spiel."

Scarinae

Ann22 wrote: »

One of my ears drives me innocent sometimes with the itch:(...don't think it's anything to do with the headphones. The pleasure of cotton bud penetration is incredible though I know I shouldn't do it.

Hahahaha that made me laugh out loud! Have you ever had your ears syringed? It's strangely enjoyable, I think the doctor thought I was a bit strange though because I kept giggling

Dravokivich

bbk wrote: »

Im fearful of the onset of tinnitus. The feeling of pressure is a sign but a sign of many other things Im sure.

Hearing a high pitched ringing in your ears is a major sign and 1 you'll experience long before anything else.

I don't think Tinnitus is linked with a pressure build up though. Tinnitus refers to damage to your ears and affects the way they operate, not an infection.

plasmaguy

I'm not sure about the bacteria thing but having the volume turned up for a sustained period will defintely damage your earing.

Basically most young people in the West today will be semi deaf in middle age.

Lando Griffin

plasmaguy wrote: »

Basically most young people in the West today will be semi deaf in middle age.

Well constructed sentence.:D

IvySlayer

Deaf-intely annoying, very ear-itating....

OK I'm going, don't have to push me!

Menengroth™

if you're worried about bacteria, clean the earphones before use! newbs!

Jaxxy

Fishie wrote: »

Hahahaha that made me laugh out loud! Have you ever had your ears syringed? It's strangely enjoyable, I think the doctor thought I was a bit strange though because I kept giggling

My brother has one of those ear syringe thingies, he does it once a month. He kept going on and on about how fantastic it felt so I gave it a try. When I got over my initial squeamishness I actually did enjoy it, very ticklish. But seriously, have you ever seen what comes out of your ears during the process? It's disturbing!

plasmaguy

Lando Griffin wrote: »

Well constructed sentence.:D

Yeh whatever.

Scarinae

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

My brother has one of those ear syringe thingies, he does it once a month. He kept going on and on about how fantastic it felt so I gave it a try. When I got over my initial squeamishness I actually did enjoy it, very ticklish. But seriously, have you ever seen what comes out of your ears during the process? It's disturbing!

I didn't know you could buy one for yourself... Hmmmm

Jaxxy

Fishie wrote: »

I didn't know you could buy one for yourself... Hmmmm

He ordered it off some medical supply site. If you're interested in a bit of home syringe ear-gasming I'll find out the address. ;D

Scarinae

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

He ordered it off some medical supply site. If you're interested in a bit of home syringe ear-gasming I'll find out the address. ;D

I don't think my earwax is bad enough to need my own one, but it's interesting to know!

GTE

Dravokivich wrote: »

Hearing a high pitched ringing in your ears is a major sign and 1 you'll experience long before anything else.

I don't think Tinnitus is linked with a pressure build up though. Tinnitus refers to damage to your ears and affects the way they operate, not an infection.

Tinnitus can manifest itself as a feeling of pressure in the ear before the ringing becomes permanent.

We all get ringing in our ears at some point but before it becomes a permanent thing usually the pressure can be felt. I had the pressure in my left ear, although slight, before my tinnitus really set in.

gurramok

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

He ordered it off some medical supply site. If you're interested in a bit of home syringe ear-gasming I'll find out the address. ;D

Safe to do it by yourself? I once got it done before by a doc but hell i'm going to pay 60quid fee to the doc just to flush out my ears!

Qualitymark

Isn't it when you put Viagra pills in the ears there's a problem?

Torqueamada

Sharing earbuds is a very bad idea.

I have to say, as I decline gracefully, I use headphones less. There have been many occasions where I missed people on the street because I was oblivious - thanks to said earbuds - and because you know, it's nice to hear the sounds around me.

Birds singing, children laughing, the curious honking of the Cork accent, the last gasp of an elderly man prostrate on a footpath.

That sort of thing.

ricero

http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/I8ba3gAPMfc/0.jpg

Jaxxy

gurramok wrote: »

Safe to do it by yourself? I once got it done before by a doc but hell i'm going to pay 60quid fee to the doc just to flush out my ears!

I'm fairly sure that they'd advise you not to, but if you've had it done before you should know automatically if you're getting the right angle, hitting the right spot, etc.