You’re using wireless earbuds.
Though cordless headphones are undoubtedly convenient, they also pose their own unique health risks. “Given how AirPods and similar devices fit snugly into the ear, they can create aural hygiene problems, which increase the probability of infections in the ear canal and impacted [earwax],” explains Brian Taylor, AuD, an audiologist with hearing aid technology company Signia.
And the more frequently you use your headphones, the greater your risk of hearing loss… but not because of volume, as you might have thought. “Use of earbuds can increase the likelihood of cerumen [AKA earwax] impaction—and when left unattended, this can cause hearing loss,” Taylor notes. “For heavy earbud users, proper hygiene of the ear canal is necessary to prevent earwax occlusion or impaction.”
