My ears also breathe, why is it dangerous to leave earphones on all day long?

Earphones and headphones are required to listen to music and videos on the go, but the ears have ear protection, and wearing earphones all day interferes with this protection. Charlotte Phelps, a professor of physiology and pharmacology at Bond University, explains how wearing earphones affects your ears.

Don't wear earphones all day – your ears need to breathe

https://theconversation.com/dont-wear-earphones-all-day-your-ears-need-to-breathe-168742

Earwax is a 'natural wax' that moisturizes the skin of the ear canal and protects the body from insects, bacteria and water. The protective function of earwax has been known for a long time, and it was once used as a moisturizer for dry lips.

Earwax is produced by secretions from the sebaceous and sweat glands in the hair follicles of the ear canal. And basically, earwax flows from the inside to the outside of the ear, and vice versa. By this mechanism, old skin cells, hair, bacteria, etc. captured by earwax are discharged to the outside.

The best way for a self-cleaning system like the one above to work is to not plug your ears. Even if you plug it with earphones, there is no problem for a short time, but if you wear earphones all day, the system will be disturbed and the following effects will appear.

-Compressed earwax becomes hard and illiquid, making it difficult to discharge naturally.
-Compressed earwax causes inflammation.
・ Since the earwax does not dry naturally due to the lack of air flow, it stays in the ear for a long time and causes accumulation.
・ The amount of water in the ear increases and it becomes a hotbed for bacteria.
• Creating a barrier to earwax excretion stimulates secretory lines and produces more earwax.
・ If the earphone pads are not properly cleaned or if pathogens are attached, the hygiene of the ears will deteriorate.
・ Hearing is damaged by raising the volume too much.

Excessive earwax buildup can cause symptoms such as itching, pain, dizziness, tinnitus and, in the worst case, hearing loss. For this reason, it is recommended to use headphones with high air flow when using ear devices for extended periods of time.

On the contrary, cleaning the ears may push the earwax into the back of the ear, so basically it is better to wait for the earwax to be 'naturally discharged'. There are also oil dripping and wax cleaning methods, but these can also have a negative effect on your ears.