Don't keep your headphones on all day...your ears need to breathe too!

By Charlotte PHELPS, PhD student, and Christian MORO, Associate Professor of Science and Medicine, Bond University (Australia), for The Conversation France

Sales of wireless headphones are booming: Apple alone is said to have sold 100 million sets of AirPods in 2020. No longer being connected to our phones or devices by a maddening cord makes us more likely to keep our headphones on for long periods of time.

When this happens, you may notice that your ears are more sticky or waxy… Why? Is this phenomenon common? And what happens to our ears?

While wireless earphones are relatively new to the market, there has already been a great deal of research into the extended use of hearing aids, which often have a similar mechanism. It appears from this work that wearing intra-auricular devices for long periods of time can lead to earwax problems.

What is earwax used for?

The production of earwax (that kind of “wax” that is a natural lubricant for our ears) is a normal process in humans and many other mammals. There should always be a thin layer near the opening of the ear canal.

This secretion is both waterproof and protective. It moistens the skin of the external auditory canal and acts as a protective mechanism to prevent infections, forming a barrier against insects, bacteria and water. Wet earwax is brown and sticky, while dry earwax is more white in color. In fact, earwax is such an effective barrier that, in the 19th century, it was used as a balm for chapped lips!

It is produced in the outer part of the ear canal. The sebaceous glands and sweat glands of local hair follicles release secretions that will trap dust, bacteria, fungi, hair and dead cells to form earwax.

The external auditory canal can be thought of as a kind of escalator system, with earwax always moving outwards, which prevents the ears from filling up with dead cells. This migration of earwax is also favored by the natural movements of the jaw. When the earwax reaches the end of the ear, it naturally falls out.

The effect of headphones

Our ear is therefore self-cleaning and performs this function perfectly, continuously. However, anything that will block the normal outward progression of earwax can cause problems… Normal use of in-the-ear devices does not often cause concern. But keeping your headphones, for example all day, is not without consequences. They can in particular:

• compress earwax, making it less fluid and more difficult for the body to expel naturally;

• block the earwax to the point of causing inflammation, the white blood cells then migrate to the affected area, which further increases the number of cells involved in the blockage;

• restrict airflow and prevent wet earwax from drying out, and when earwax remains sticky for long periods of time, this promotes buildup;

• trap sweat and moisture in the ears, making them more prone to bacterial and fungal infections;

• creating a barrier to the natural expulsion of earwax, which ultimately stimulates the secretory glands and increases the production of earwax;

• reducing general ear hygiene, and this is further amplified if the ear pads are not cleaned properly or become contaminated with bacteria or infectious agents ;

• hearing damage if the volume is set too high.

If earwax accumulates too much, it can therefore cause hearing problems as well as other symptoms such as pain, dizziness, tinnitus, itching and vertigo.

Also, if you need to keep your earbuds on for an extended period of time, using over-ear headphones, or over-the-ear headphones, may be preferable. They allow the passage of a small additional airflow compared to conventional in-ear headphones and earbuds.

Because they sit outside the ear canal, headsets are also less likely to cause earwax compaction or introduce bacteria or pathogens into the ear canal. Even so, this is not ideal and earwax buildup can still occur.

Nothing smaller than your elbow

In most cases, the best way to deal with earwax is to… do nothing. It is not recommended to use cotton swabs too frequently, as this risks backing it up into the ear canal. The long-standing advice is to put nothing smaller than your elbow in your ear – in other words, don't put anything there!

Some so-called traditional methods, such as olive oil drops or ear candles, can also have side effects and are not helpful.

If you have earwax or hearing problems, your doctor will have a range of treatment options to help you. He can also refer you to the appropriate health service if this requires longer-term care. First, he will examine your ear using a special instrument (otoscope) and determine the extent of any blockage or malfunction.

Anyway, the ear has a wonderful self-cleaning process and we should do our best to let this process happen naturally. In most cases, headphones aren't a problem, but keep an eye on how much time you spend wearing them. And be sure to always keep the volume at a safe level…

The original version of this article was published in The Conversation.