Written by: Ehsan Siddiqui
25 June 2025
Love your music but worried about your hearing? With millions using earbuds and headphones daily, choosing the right option for your ear health is more important than ever. Here's what to know before choosing.
Photo Credit: Freepik
By fitting straight into your ear canal, earbuds bring the sound closer to your eardrum. It is portable and provides high-quality audio. However, it has a higher risk of ear damage and may also lead to wax accumulation.
Photo Credit: Freepik
Over-ear headphones surround your ears and often provide better sound isolation without direct insertion. They spread sound evenly and prevent direct pressure on the inner ear, reducing the risk of ear drum damage.
Photo Credit: Freepik
Earbuds leak more sound, which may lead you to turn up the volume in noisy surroundings. Headphones provide improved noise isolation, minimising the need to turn up the volume.
Photo Credit: Freepik
The main causes of hearing loss, regardless of whether you use headphones or earbuds, are loud volume and extensive listening. It's not just the device, but how you use it; both can damage your hearing if used incorrectly.
Photo Credit: Freepik
Regardless of your choice, stick to this golden rule: listen at no more than 60% of maximum volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time. This can help reduce noise-induced hearing loss and protect your ears.
Photo Credit: Freepik