Question: Are those earphones worn inside the ear worse for my hearing than regular ones?
They can be—if your music is too loud. They sit closer to the eardrum, so they create more sound pressure than traditional earphones, increasing the risk of damage, says Clarke Cox, chief of audiology at Boston University School of Medicine.
If you hear ringing in your ears or if things sound muffled after listening, you’ve likely overdone it. Usually the problem subsides, but listening to loud music regularly, with any type of headset, could lead to permanent hearing loss.
Every set of earphones is different, so it’s hard to give recommendations, but recent research suggests limiting usage to one hour or less a day at no more than 60 per cent volume for over-the-ear styles—even less for earbuds. Never fall asleep with them on. Live long and prosper.
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