Listening to IPod Could Raise Earache Risk: Indian Scientists

A study at Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, southwest India, has found that listening to iPod can raise the chance of getting earache.

The Indian boffins also discovered that sharing in-earphones is hazardous for health, as bacteria can get passed from one user to another.

About Otitis Media
Middle ear infection, or otitis media, is a common type of infection that may or may not accompany the infections of nose and throat. It is the infection of any part of the middle ear.

According to scientists, regular users of iPods and other mp3 players had higher rates of bacterial infection than those who were not regular users, reports the Telegraph.

The study involved 50 health medical students, half who said they were regular users (Group B) of iPods and half who said they were not (Group A).

The researchers found: "Group B showed heavy growth and a significant increase in the number of bacterial growths after frequent and constant use."

Anatomy of Ear and Hearing
Ear converts sound waves into electrical impulses that are transmitted to the temporal lobe of the brain through the auditory nerve. It consists of outer, inner and middle sections.

Bacteria was found in the ears in 92 per cent of those who did use in-earphones regularly and 80 per cent of people who did not.

They concluded: "Frequent and constant use of earphones increases the bacterial growth in the ear."

Ear Ache Natural Remedy Treatment
Earache occurs due to an infection in the ear area. Using some natural home remedies can make you feel better. These products are readily available at home and are simple & easy to follow. Natural home remedies relieve ear infection within hours.

Sharing earphones "might be a potential vector" for bacteria, they added.

In the study, researchers discovered bacteria that included types of Staphylococcus – the ones which can cause swelling in the ear and earache.

The microbiologists said: "The majority of the isolates were Staphylococcus spp. (MSCONS) which although a normal skin flora most often, could well be a pathogen if the condition is congenial. Cheaper quality [of earphones] or improper use may give rise to abrasion, leading to breakage of the skin which might be a portal of infection."

The study has been published in the Online Journal of Health and Allied Sciences.

Source-ANI
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