Comparison of the Prevalence of Ear Problems between Users of Insert Earphones and Headphones in Saudi Arabia

Objective: This study aimed to compare the prevalence of ear problems between users of insert earphones and headphones in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire that was administered to adult earphone and headphone users in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was distributed through social media platforms. Results: A total of 553 participants were included in the study. Of these 553, 355 (64.2%) were preferring earphones use, 399 (72.2%) were females; 294 (53.2%) had an age of 18–23 years, of them, 325 (58.8%) used a wireless device, 225 (40.7%) were using the device daily, 172 (31.1%) were using the device for 30–90 min daily, and 187 (33.8%) were not cleaning it. Of them, 104 (18.8%) were incorrectly wearing the device, 199 (36.0%) had the device on high volume level, 82 (14.8%) were wearing it improperly fitted, 310 (56.1%) were wearing the device for an extended period, and 178 (32.2%) were sharing their devices with someone else. Headphone users had a significantly higher prevalence of wearing an improperly fitted device and wearing a noise-cancelling device. In comparison, earphone users had a significantly higher prevalence of wearing the device in one ear and a higher prevalence of a prior history of ear problems (32.4% vs. 23.7%, P = 0.032). Conclusion: While there was no significant difference in the frequency of current ear complaints between the two groups, earphone users demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence of prior otological history compared to headphone users.