Headphone use may be the cause of that headache

PETALING JAYA: What started out as earwax build-up and ear irritation gradually turned into periodical headaches for Muhammad Aqil.

The content creator later found out that it was the prolonged use of headphones for up to four hours at a time and at a continuous 80% volume that led to his condition.

As his job required him to use headphones constantly, the 29-year-old then resorted to paracetamol for relief, which offered him only short-term comfort.

“It was only when I reduced the frequency of headphone usage along with the volume that I realised how much of a difference it made. The pain was gone after a while.

“Now, I still use the headphones for three to four hours at a time but I keep the volume at between 50% and 60% and increase it only when absolutely necessary,” he said, recalling his experience two years ago.

He added that he also cut down on the habit of listening to music on his headphones when using public transport.

“Things have improved and fortunately, I did not have to undergo any medical treatment,” he said.

Software engineer Alexander Arasaraj Nicholas, 30, said he uses over-the-ear headphones as an alternative to in-ear versions for work purposes.

“Given how my work is fully remote and I am required to attend daily meetings that can span hours, I use over-the-ear headphones instead with the volume cranked up. I also noticed that using in-ear headphones caused wax build-up and irritation when used for more than an hour,” he said.

Customer relations executive Khairul Amin Ahmadi, 29, said using headphones is the norm given his nature of work.

“I use them for about nine hours during work but with breaks in between. The volume hovers between 50% and 70%. For music, however, I crank up the volume fully,” he said.