I have had chronic ear infections since childhood. My doctor always said that headphones were an absolune no-no for me. I don't let anything near my ears not even my husband.
Well that makes sense-like a pacifier increasing a child's risk of ear and throat infections, anything that you shove in your ear would increase the risk of infection by introducing contaminants.
Ummm do you mean headphones or ear buds? Buds go into the ear, phones most times sit on the outside. I get that they could still give something off, but most people properly clean their headset before use too.
When I listen to music or anything using headphones I tend to put the volume a bit down for this reason. I think that it will damage my eyes only if the volume is high. Sometimes I do not mind it since if volume is what it takes to enjoy my music then so be it!
Most people I know use the term 'earphones' to mean either buds or exterior sets.
One other aspect of the ear health issue is that of sharing buds. Nasty habit and one which I see more and more between couples and friends when I am on public transport. Yuk!
Adveser, thanks for the information above on the headphones. I am intrigued by the reference to aspirin. I know it is bad for your stomach but never heard of it as a problem for ears.
Actually, it looks like basically every painkiller (I have never seen anything about Oxycontin or any of the other opiates though) are bad for your ears.
Looks like maybe only Naproxen Sodium (aleve) is going to do for over the counter audiophile pain relief.
Adveser Messages: 434 Registered: July 2009 Location: USA
Illuminati (1st Degree)
I may be making assumptions here, but I got the impression that the reason for that is because those over 60 already have the damage that the drug would cause. I took the meaning as the younger you are, the more danger because the better your hearing would likely be.
I've never had a problem with headphones. I use the large over the ear type that block out all or most outside noise so I don't have to crank it up to get great sound. I'd be more concerned with earphone types that don't block out noise so you have to turn up the volume just to hear your music over other noises.