Dr. Svetlana Marnova, an ENT and voice specialist, stated that there is no truth to the rumor that the eardrum can rupture during air travel or listening to favorite music.
According to her, a healthy person's eardrum doesn't rupture on an airplane or from loud music while using headphones. However, if a person has otitis media or a severe runny nose, the risk of eardrum injury increases on the plane itself.
It indicates that the nose is connected to the ear via the Eustachian tube, which is responsible for equalizing pressure in the middle ear. Therefore, infections in the nose, sinuses, and ears can lead to inflammation of the Eustachian tube, impairing its function. This, in turn, can lead to ear infections and, consequently, to injury.
The doctor confirms that loud music does not cause a ruptured eardrum, but it can cause hearing loss. This is because the inner ear (deep inside the head) contains hair cells that are sensitive to loud sounds. Unfortunately, these cells do not regenerate. Therefore, sounds below 75 decibels are unlikely to cause hearing loss, while sounds above 85 decibels can be dangerous.
