How Prolonged Earbud Use Leads to Severe Ear Infections
A father from Michigan is raising awareness about the dangers of prolonged earbud use after his son developed a severe ear infection that escalated into a life-threatening condition. Bobby Reed believes his 14-year-old son Brody’s habitual use of earbuds to listen to music contributed to the infection.
The series of events began in mid-December last year when an unwell Brody was taken to the doctor where he was diagnosed with an ear infection. “On the 18th, his mum brought him into urgent care for an ear infection. And they just diagnosed the ear infection and said that it was because he's wearing his [earbuds] all the time,” Reed said.
Unfortunately, the infection did not stop there. By Christmas Eve, Brody’s condition had worsened, leading to his hospitalisation at Helen Devos Children's Hospital, in Grand Rapids, where he was diagnosed with meningitis.
While untreated infections in any part of the body can cause this life-threatening condition, an ear infection is a more likely route for meningitis to develop because of the middle ear’s proximity to the meninges. The meninges are the brain’s protective membranes, the inflammation of which disrupts their normal functioning, leading to the serious complications associated with meningitis.
“He could barely lift his arms,” said Reed of Brody. “He was almost unresponsive, basically, for about three or four days, and it was scary as hell, like horrifying as a parent."
The Hidden Risks of Earbuds: Blocked Airflow and Excess Wax Buildup
The Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas explained that earbuds can block the ear canal, hampering the body’s natural process of self-cleaning and potentially leading to ear infections. The insertion of an object like an earbud into the opening of the ear canal increases wax production as the body interprets the earbud as a foreign body that it needs to remove.
This point is underscored by Reed, who believes his son's constant usage of the earbuds prevented adequate airflow to his ears, contributing to the infection. “It wasn't letting his ears breathe like they needed to, because he had them in constantly. He would sleep with them in," he said.
Experts suggest that young people face greater threats to their ear health than previous generations. “The ears of today’s teenagers are subject to an auditory onslaught relative to their grandparents,” said Laurence Coen, who co-founded Hearology®.
“Many have their earbuds practically glued to their ears, so their noise level exposure is consequently so much greater. This generation of teenagers are going to have many more ear and hearing-related problems than their parents and grandparents, not to mention the onset of age-related hearing loss at a much younger age.”
Preventing Ear Infections: Safe Earbud Usage Tips for Better Ear Health
This incident highlights how important it is to maintain ear and hearing health: the onset of hearing loss is often so gradual that it’s unnoticeable until it causes a near miss or an embarrassing moment. And proper ear wax management is essential, with the microsuction technique of earwax removal widely considered much safer and more efficient than traditional methods like syringing or drops. Improper removal of earwax can lead to significant risks, potentially resulting in a blocked ear, tinnitus - or infection.
Doctors believe that Brody will make a full recovery, but Bobby Reed hopes that by sharing their experience he can alert parents to the potential dangers of excessive earbud usage. He urges vigilance regarding the signs of ear infections and advocates for periodic breaks from earbud use.
“Just pay attention,” he said. “Watch out for the signs of this, and, you know, make sure they're taking a break from it. No matter how much they love to listen to music, it's not worth this."
References
- Can Airpods cause Ear Infections? - Explains how AirPods and similar earbuds can contribute to ear infections by trapping moisture, pushing earwax further into the ear canal, and potentially irritating the skin barrier.
- OSF HealthCare - Discusses how earbuds can cause ear infections by trapping moisture and pushing earwax into the ear canal, creating an environment conducive to bacterial growth.
- Your Earbuds Could Increase Risks of Ear Infection - Highlights the risks of ear infections associated with earbud use, including the buildup of earwax and the creation of a moist environment that fosters bacterial growth.
- Mayo Clinic - Provides comprehensive information on ear infections, including symptoms, causes, and treatments.
- Meningitis - Provides information on meningitis, a severe condition that can arise from untreated infections, as seen in Brody Reed's case.
