Metro
Audiologist Warns against Excessive Earphone Use
An audiologist at Capital Healthcare, Akanchawa Emmanuel, has warned Nigerians against prolonged use of earphones at high volumes, saying the habit could cause permanent hearing damage and other long-term auditory health complications.
Emmanuel gave the warning in an interview on Tuesday in Benin City, urging Nigerians to adopt safer listening habits and undergo regular hearing assessments.
She explained that hearing depended on delicate hair cells in the inner ear, which converted sound waves into electrical signals transmitted to the brain, noting that damaged cells could not regenerate.
According to her, normal hearing ranges between zero and 25 decibels, while prolonged exposure to sounds above safe levels through earphones can gradually cause irreversible hearing impairment.
“The number one thing that damages these hair cells is loud sound. Once they are destroyed, they are gone permanently,” she said.
Emmanuel said that many earphone users gradually increased volume levels over time, exposing themselves to cumulative hearing damage without recognising the long-term effects of their listening habits.
She warned that prolonged exposure to loud sounds could also trigger tinnitus, a persistent ringing or buzzing sensation in the ears that might become permanent in severe cases.
The audiologist identified teenagers and young adults between 15 and 35 years as the largest group of earphone users, driven largely by smartphone-based music streaming, gaming and communication.
She said that many people increased volume levels while commuting or staying in noisy environments to block background sounds, thereby exposing themselves to potentially harmful listening conditions.
“The devices themselves are not harmful. The problem lies in how they are used,” she said.
Emmanuel advised users to reduce volume whenever people nearby could hear sounds from their earphones, warning that prolonged listening sessions might cause temporary hearing difficulties after use.
She recommended adherence to the 60/60 rule, which encouraged listening at about 60 per cent volume for no more than 60 minutes at a stretch.
The audiologist also cautioned against sleeping with earphones, explaining that doing so prevented the ears from resting and unnecessarily increased exposure to potentially damaging sound levels.
According to her, prolonged use of in-ear devices may trap moisture within the ear canal, increasing the likelihood of irritation, infections and excessive wax accumulation.
Emmanuel further explained simple ear-pressure relief techniques, including the Valsalva manoeuvre, commonly used to relieve blocked ears during air travel and sudden atmospheric pressure changes.
She said the technique involved gently closing the mouth, pinching the nostrils and blowing softly through the nose until a slight “pop” is felt in the ears.
The audiologist, however, warned that the manoeuvre must be performed carefully to avoid damaging the eardrum, adding that swallowing, yawning or chewing gum might also provide relief.
She advised users to clean earphones regularly, avoid sharing them and consider noise-cancelling headphones, which helped reduce background noise and enabled safer listening at lower volumes.
Emmanuel said that hearing problems often developed gradually, with early warning signs including muffled hearing, difficulty following conversations and persistent ringing sensations after earphone use.
A Benin resident, Ben Ukachi, said he frequently used earphones for privacy and to block environmental noise but intended to reduce usage following the audiologist’s warning.
“I may not stop using it completely, but I will reduce the amount of time I spend using it,” he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Ankara on Tuesday to attend a high-stakes two-day NATO summit which could be overshadowed by differences over defense spending and the war in Iran.
Trump descended from Air Force One, a plane that had been gifted to him by Qatar, after it touched down at the Etimesgut air base, according to live footage broadcast online.
He was greeted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the foot of the stairs.
Erdoğan, who is known to get along well with Trump, chatted with the U.S. president as the two leaders walked along a blue carpet laid out for Trump’s arrival, briefly taking him by the arm.
Trump then greeted some soldiers in Turkish, drawing applause from Erdoğan, before the pair disappeared inside an airport building.
The summit came amid frictions between European NATO allies and Trump, who has long demanded that they increase defence spending and take on more responsibility for the continent’s security.
Trump has also been angered by some allies’ criticism of his war on Iran, as well as what he has slammed as a lack of support for the operation launched alongside Israel.
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has expanded eligibility for its PenCare Initiative pilot to retirees receiving monthly pensions of up to N150,000, aimed at increasing participation and improving healthcare access.
PenCom Director-General, Omolola Oloworaran, said this on Tuesday in Abuja after the third meeting of the Pension Industry Leadership Council (PILC).
Oloworaran said the commission raised the income threshold to attract more participants and generate sufficient data required to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot programme.
According to her, PenCom targets 30,000 beneficiaries under the initiative but has so far enrolled only about 13,000 retirees, making broader participation necessary.
“We need a critical mass to properly test the system. Running a pilot with just 10,000 people will not give us the results we want,” she said.
She said retirees earning monthly pensions of N150,000 or below could now enrol and access free health insurance under the PenCare pilot scheme.
Oloworaran described the new threshold as a temporary measure to boost participation, adding that the commission would review it after the pilot programme was assessed.
“That we have extended it to N150,000 does not mean it will remain there. It is to help us test the system effectively,” she said.
She urged journalists to support awareness efforts, noting that many low-income retirees were still unaware of the programme and its healthcare benefits.
Oloworaran said PenCom planned to introduce three healthcare packages after the pilot to provide sustainable medical support for retirees across income categories.
She said the first package would provide free healthcare services for low-income retirees, while the second would offer a co-payment arrangement for retirees needing additional support.
“The third package will allow higher-income retirees to pay for enhanced healthcare coverage at competitive premium rates,” she said.
Oloworaran said improving retirees’ welfare remained one of PenCom’s top priorities as the commission continued exploring initiatives to enhance pensioners’ wellbeing and financial security.
“We continue to explore initiatives that will improve retirees’ wellbeing and ensure Nigerians retire with peace of mind,” she said.
The Borno Government has released N1,649,048,000 outstanding scholarship obligations to students for payment of tuition and accommodation fees, welfare packages and international educational commitments.
Executive Secretary of the State Scholarships Board, Dr.
Bala Isa, announced the approval at a news conference on Tuesday in Maiduguri.He said that the intervention was a reflection of the Gov.
Babagana Zulum administration’s unwavering commitment to education as a tool for rebuilding the state and empowering its youths.According to him, the funds will cover the outstanding 2024/2025 scholarship awards for students in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
“The package includes tuition and accommodation fees for 272 medical students in Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare and tuition payments for 34 MBBS students at Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri.
“Part of the package is also fees for 60 students studying at the Nigerian Institute of Leather Science and Technology, Zaria.
“Additional allocations will provide six months’ allowances for nursing students under the state scholarship programme and educational support for 300 orphans of counter-insurgency volunteers.
“These also include return airfare for postgraduate and undergraduate scholars studying in India, Malaysia and China,’’ he said.
Isa described the beneficiaries as future doctors, engineers, scientists and professionals whose expertise would contribute to the state’s long-term development.
He emphasised that the scholarship board had commenced administrative processes to ensure prompt disbursement of funds to institutions and the beneficiaries.
The executive secretary commended Zulum for prioritising education in spite of prevailing challenges.
He noted that sustained investments in scholarships and skills development remained central to the administration’s vision of building a prosperous, peaceful and educated state.
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