In Japan, cases of otitis externa have become more frequent due to the frequent use of in-ear headphones

Due to the pandemic, many people have started wearing headphones at home, communicating in voice chats with colleagues who also work remotely. One doctor said that as people spend more time wearing headphones, the number of cases of otitis externa has increased. The tweet of the person who raised the issue has already received over 3,000 retweets, NHK reported.

According to the doctor, long-term use of in-ear headphones irritates the skin in the ear canal, provokes inflammation and further development of otitis externa – and in the worst cases, the affected areas are also infected with bacteria. In some cases, the ear canal can become swollen and blocked, leading to hearing loss.

The doctors’ recommendations are simple: to use acoustics instead of headphones, whenever possible, regularly clean those parts of the headphones that are in direct contact with the skin, and simply spend less time in in-ear headphones. And, of course, contact specialists in case of problems.