Which is Safer? Headphones or Earphones?

Whether you’re at the gym or going for a run, or simply want to listen to something on a more personal level, having earphones or headphones can be very beneficial. When purchasing either of these, there are many factors you should consider.


From style and cost to comfort and performance, these all play a part in the decision making when it comes to personal listening devices.


Before you make a decision, learn some of the differences between headphones and earphones:

How They Deliver Sound

Typically referred to as earbuds, earphones sit inside the ear, pushing music and other sounds directly into your ear canal. Over the ear headphones typically cup around the ears, leaving space between the speaker and your ear.


When it comes to sound and delivery, over the ear headphones provide many benefits whereas the earphones can be more dangerous. Choosing over the ear headphones can help with the comfort of the sound, as well as prevent hearing damage if used correctly.

Using Headphones and Earphones Correctly

Whether you choose headphones or earphones, you still must take precaution as both can damage the ear and affect your hearing. You don’t want to leave your headphones or earphones on too long or put them at a high volume level.


You should follow the 60/60 rule when it comes to personal listening devices. Make sure you don’t listen to sound higher than 60% volume and don’t listen for more than 60 minutes at a time. Typically, the design elements shouldn’t be a cause for concern, but the way you listen to sound and the delivery of it can make an impact.


If you have hearing damage or need to speak with someone about pain you’ve been feeling in your ear, Florida ENT is here to help. Schedule an appointment with us today and we can take a look at your ear, diagnose the problem, and provide the right remedy for you.

Common Causes, Symptoms & Care for a Bruised Eardrum

Bruised eardrums are an injury caused by trauma or improper cleaning of the ear. Sonic trauma (like an explosion or sustained, high-decibel noises) and physical trauma (like a punch to the side of the head) can both causing bruising of the ear and eardrum. Car accidents are also a common cause of ear trauma.

Cauliflower ear, which is a buildup of fluid in the outer ear, can also lead to bruising.

Common Symptoms of Bruised Eardrum

The symptoms of a bruised eardrum are somewhat similar to a perforated eardrum—with the exception of sudden relief from an earache. Sudden loss of an earache is more likely to be caused by a perforation than a bruised eardrum.

If you experience the following symptoms, see your local ENT doctor quickly:

• Trouble picking up background noise
• Mild or incomplete hearing loss
• Bleeding or discharge of fluid
• Tinnitus, or ringing in the ear
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Difficulty keeping your balance

What to Avoid If Your Eardrums Could Be Bruised

Keep your ears dry, so avoid swimming. To prevent water from getting into your ears while showering, insert cotton balls into your ear. You can also seal them with petroleum jelly if you’re concerned about water getting past the cotton balls.

Whatever you do, do not insert cotton swabs into your ears to clean them. Using q-tips or other tools to clean your ears could turn a bruise into a puncture. Your ears might be filled with fluid, but it’s better to let a doctor handle your ear care rather than risking the health of your ears.

Treatment

Thankfully, bruised eardrums should heal on their own. If you experience symptoms for longer than two weeks, consider seeing a Florida ENT doctor to check up on you. While healing, avoid exposure to allergens, cigarette smoke, and blowing your nose—blowing your nose alters the pressure of your inner ear and causes discomfort.

How to Reduce Your Risk of Hearing Loss

 Florida Ear Nose Throat

Facial Plastic Surgery Center
877-EAR-NOSE

www.FloridaENT.com

Hearing loss is one of the most frustrating, and unfortunately one of the most common occurrences that happens to people of all ages - especially those who are aging. Genetic makeup is a common cause of hearing loss, but oftentimes it is also due to exposure of loud noises. That being said, you might be wondering the answers to these questions:

What are the warning signs of hearing loss?

• You hear ringing or buzzing in your ears after noise exposure
• You have difficulty understanding people after exposure to noise
• You experience a “fullness” in your ears after leaving a noisy environment

How do I protect myself from noise damage?

• Block out noise by wearing earplugs and earmuffs when necessary
• Avoid loud sounds by putting hands over ears if you can’t avoid a noisy situation
• Turn the volume down and keep earbud volumes to a minimum
• Limit exposure to noisy activities at home.

They key is to be alert to risks of hazardous noise in your everyday life.

At Florida ENT, we are committed to helping patients who suffer from hearing loss at all levels of severity and at any stage. Utilizing the latest advances in medicine combined with the state-of-the-art techniques, our goal is to treat our patients with comfort and compassion. Our general and specialized services include:To learn more about the services we provide, please call us today at 407-944-3340 to schedule an appointment. 

Top Signs of Hearing Loss

Florida Ear Nose Throat

Facial Plastic Surgery Center

877-EAR-NOSE

www.FloridaENT.com

 

Hearing loss can occur for many reasons. This health concern involves damage to the inner ear. It might be tied to aging or exposure to loud noise, ultimately tearing the nerve cells in the cochlea, which send signals to the brain.

For family and friends, it can be a challenge, and sometimes it isn’t recognized right off the bat. However, if you or someone you know ponders the possibility of hearing loss, ask these questions:

• Often ask people to repeat what they say?
• Have trouble hearing in groups?
• Think others are mumbling?
• Turn up the volume on the TV or car radio?
• Difficulty hearing on the phone?
• Fail to hear someone talking behind them?
• Have difficulty hearing at the movies?
• Dread going to noisy parties and restaurants?

Other points to consider if you think you or someone you know suffers from hearing loss are:

• Friends and family are likely the first to recognize the problem, long before the person does.
• Typically in the early stage, the individual might deny a problem. This is understandable, considering he/she might be doing fairly well regardless.
• A major complaint of people with hearing loss is the difficulty they experience in comprehending speech in any kind of noisy place, such as a restaurant or in the car.

At Florida ENT, we are committed to helping patients who suffer from hearing loss at all levels of severity and at any stage. Utilizing the latest advances in medicine combined with the state-of-the-art techniques, our goal is to treat our patients with comfort and compassion. Our general and specialized services include:To learn more about the services we provide, please call us today at 407-944-3340 to schedule an appointment.

Causes of Hearing Loss

Florida Ear Nose Throat

Facial Plastic Surgery Center

877-EAR-NOSE

www.FloridaENT.com

Simply put, hearing loss is the sudden or gradual decrease in hearing. Did you know hearing loss can be temporary, permanent, mild, severe, reversible and can affect one or both ears? If you're suffering from hearing loss, you're not the only one. Hearing loss affects up to 25% of individuals between the age of 65 and 75 and up to 50% of people over the age of 75.

Although the most common cause of hearing loss is age, there are some other causes as well. They include:

• Chronic exposure to loud noise
• Wax buildup in one or both ears
• Runs in the family
• Fluid buildup caused by ear infections
• Object stuck in the ear canal
• Ototoxic medication

If you're suffering from hearing loss, there are a few measures that can be taken to help treat it depending on the cause. We encourage you to give our office a call today to learn more about how we can help you handle hearing loss. For more information, visit www.floridaent.com or call 877-EAR-NOSE.