Background: Otomycosis affects about 9% of patients with otitis externa. One of the predisposing factor is impacted cerumen. Earphone usage causes cerumen impaction. This cross-sectional study aims to analyze data from questionnaire to assess the prevalence of otomycosis among patients with impacted cerumen due to excessive earphone usage, establish associations between otomycosis and symptoms such as pain and hearing loss as well as the correlation between fungal growth and the long hours of earphones usage. The relationship between the age of participants and the usage of earphones during the pandemic is also explored.

Results: There was a 31% prevalence of otomycosis among these patients. Otalgia was present in 60% of patients with otomycosis (t value 2.94, coefficient 0.27).

Discussion: This study offers initial evidence that earphone usage could be a predisposing factor in developing otomycosis. However, there was no evidence of longer hours of earphones usage increasing the chances of developing otomycosis. Additionally, symptoms like otalgia and conductive hearing loss could be present in both earwax impaction and otomycosis.

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