Can headphones cause tinnitus. How does noise-induced hearing loss contribute to tinnitus. What role do listening habits play in developing hearing problems. Are noise-canceling headphones safe for people with tinnitus. How can you protect your hearing when using headphones.

What is Tinnitus and How Does it Relate to Hearing Loss?

Tinnitus is a condition characterized by the perception of sound in one or both ears without an external source. It often manifests as a high-pitched ringing or hissing noise, though the exact nature of the sound can vary between individuals and may change over time. While tinnitus can have numerous causes, including ear infections, diabetes, hypertension, medication side effects, or brain injuries, the most common trigger for chronic tinnitus is sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).

SNHL can be age-related or noise-induced, and this is where the use of headphones becomes relevant. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is increasingly common among young adults, adolescents, and even children due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds, often through personal listening devices.

The Connection Between Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

Research has shown that individuals with hearing impairment are twice as likely to experience tinnitus compared to those with normal hearing. Interestingly, while hearing loss is age-dependent, tinnitus itself is not necessarily linked to age. Studies suggest that tinnitus is more likely to occur when hearing loss happens suddenly, and the brain struggles to adapt to the abrupt lack of auditory input.

Can Headphones Directly Cause Tinnitus?

Headphones themselves do not directly cause tinnitus. Neither Bluetooth technology nor noise-canceling features are to blame for the development of this condition. However, headphones can indirectly contribute to tinnitus through their potential to cause hearing loss when used improperly.

The primary issue lies in how people use headphones, particularly the tendency to listen at high volumes for extended periods. When users exceed safe listening levels for too long, hearing damage can occur, potentially leading to tinnitus as a side effect.

Why Do People Listen at High Volumes?

Several factors contribute to the tendency to increase volume when using headphones:

• Subjective perception: Headphones often don’t sound as loud as loudspeakers, even when delivering the same sound pressure to the eardrum.
• Lack of physical cues: With sound isolated to the ears, users miss out on vibrations and other physical and spatial cues that typically accompany loud sounds.
• Environmental factors: In noisy environments, users may increase volume to drown out ambient sounds.
• Earbud design: Some earbud designs may encourage higher volume settings to achieve desired sound quality.

The Impact of Headphone Use on Hearing Health

Studies have shown a concerning trend in headphone usage and its potential impact on hearing health. A majority of young people (over 60%) use headphones regularly, with more than a third (37%) using them at high volumes. This pattern of use has been linked to impaired hearing in multiple studies.

One Swedish study found that nine-year-old children who use headphones multiple times a week to listen to music have poorer hearing compared to those who don’t use headphones. These findings align with the observed rise in hearing loss among adolescents.

How Does Frequent High-Volume Use Affect Hearing?

Regularly using headphones at unsafe volumes can lead to both hearing loss and tinnitus. The damage occurs gradually and may not be immediately noticeable, making it crucial for users to be aware of safe listening practices.

Active Noise Canceling Headphones and Tinnitus

Active noise canceling (ANC) headphones have gained popularity in recent years, leading to questions about their potential impact on tinnitus. It’s important to clarify that ANC technology itself does not cause tinnitus. In fact, some individuals with tinnitus find that ANC headphones can be beneficial.

How Does Noise Canceling Work?

Active noise canceling is distinct from passive noise isolation, which all headphones provide to some degree by covering or plugging the ears. ANC uses battery power to actively cancel out external noise using sound waves:

1. A microphone in the headphones detects ambient noise.
2. The headphone’s drivers emit matching sound waves that are out of phase with the unwanted background noise.
3. These “anti-noise” waves negate the ambient sound waves through destructive interference.
4. In ideal conditions, this results in a significant reduction of ambient noise.

Can Noise Canceling Headphones Help with Tinnitus?

While noise-canceling headphones can’t directly quiet tinnitus, they can provide several benefits for individuals with this condition:

• Reduced ambient noise: By attenuating background sounds, ANC headphones can make tinnitus less noticeable in noisy environments.
• Lower listening volumes: With reduced ambient noise, users can listen to audio content at lower, safer volumes.
• Stress reduction: For some, the reduction in environmental noise can lead to decreased stress, which may indirectly help manage tinnitus symptoms.

Safe Listening Practices with Headphones

To protect your hearing and reduce the risk of developing tinnitus when using headphones, consider the following guidelines:

• Follow the 60/60 rule: Listen at no more than 60% of maximum volume for no longer than 60 minutes at a time.
• Take regular breaks: Give your ears time to rest between listening sessions.
• Use noise-canceling headphones: These can help you maintain lower volumes in noisy environments.
• Choose over-ear headphones: They generally allow for lower volumes compared to in-ear models.
• Be aware of your environment: Avoid using headphones in potentially dangerous situations where you need to hear your surroundings.

Understanding Sound Exposure and Hearing Risk

To better grasp the potential risks associated with headphone use, it’s crucial to understand how sound exposure is measured and what levels are considered safe.

Measuring Sound Intensity

Sound intensity is typically measured in decibels (dB). The decibel scale is logarithmic, meaning that an increase of 10 dB represents a tenfold increase in sound intensity. For context:

• Normal conversation: 60-70 dB
• City traffic: 80-85 dB
• Lawn mower: 90 dB
• Rock concert: 110-120 dB

Safe Listening Levels

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting exposure to 85 dB to no more than 8 hours per day. For every 3 dB increase above this level, the safe exposure time is halved. For example:

• 88 dB: 4 hours
• 91 dB: 2 hours
• 94 dB: 1 hour
• 97 dB: 30 minutes

Many smartphones and personal audio devices can produce sound levels up to 110 dB or higher, which can cause hearing damage in just a few minutes of exposure.

The Role of Technology in Hearing Protection

As awareness of hearing health grows, technology companies are developing features to help users protect their hearing when using headphones and personal audio devices.

Volume Limiting Features

Many smartphones and music players now include built-in volume limiting features. These allow users or parents to set maximum volume levels, helping to prevent accidental exposure to dangerously loud sounds.

Smart Volume Management

Some advanced headphones and earbuds incorporate smart volume management systems. These can monitor listening levels over time and provide warnings or automatically adjust volume to maintain safe listening practices.

Hearing Health Apps

Various apps are available that can monitor your headphone usage and ambient noise levels, providing personalized recommendations for safe listening. Some can even estimate your daily sound exposure and alert you when you’re approaching potentially harmful levels.

Long-term Effects of Headphone Use on Hearing Health

While the immediate risks of high-volume headphone use are clear, it’s also important to consider the potential long-term effects on hearing health.

Cumulative Damage

Hearing damage from noise exposure is often cumulative. This means that even if a single listening session doesn’t cause noticeable harm, repeated exposure to unsafe levels over months or years can lead to significant hearing loss and tinnitus.

Hidden Hearing Loss

Recent research has identified a phenomenon known as “hidden hearing loss.” This type of damage may not be detectable by standard hearing tests but can affect a person’s ability to understand speech in noisy environments. It’s believed that this type of damage may precede more noticeable forms of hearing loss and could be an early indicator of risk for conditions like tinnitus.

Impact on Quality of Life

Hearing loss and tinnitus can have significant impacts on quality of life, affecting everything from social interactions to job performance. By adopting safe listening habits early, individuals can help preserve their hearing health and reduce the risk of these long-term consequences.

Alternatives to Traditional Headphones

For those concerned about the potential risks associated with traditional headphones, several alternatives are available that may offer improved safety or comfort:

Bone Conduction Headphones

Bone conduction technology transmits sound through the bones of the skull, bypassing the outer and middle ear. This leaves the ear canal open, allowing users to maintain awareness of their surroundings. While not entirely risk-free, these headphones may reduce the temptation to raise volume levels to unsafe levels in noisy environments.

Open-ear Designs

Some headphones and earbuds feature open-ear designs that don’t seal off the ear canal. These allow for a mix of audio content and ambient sound, potentially reducing the need for high volumes to overcome background noise.

Hearables and Smart Earbuds

Advanced “hearable” devices combine the functions of traditional headphones with features like personalized sound amplification and ambient noise filtering. These can be particularly beneficial for individuals with mild hearing loss or those who struggle to hear in noisy environments.

The Future of Hearing Protection and Headphone Technology

As our understanding of hearing health evolves and technology continues to advance, we can expect to see new innovations in headphone design and hearing protection.

Personalized Audio Profiles

Future headphones may incorporate advanced hearing tests to create personalized audio profiles, optimizing sound output based on an individual’s unique hearing characteristics. This could help prevent overexposure to harmful frequencies and improve overall listening experiences.

Advanced Noise Cancellation

Next-generation noise cancellation technology may offer more precise and adaptive noise reduction, further reducing the need for high volumes in varied environments.

Integration with Health Monitoring

As wearable technology becomes more sophisticated, we may see headphones that integrate with broader health monitoring systems, providing comprehensive tracking of hearing health alongside other vital signs.

Augmented Reality Audio

Advancements in augmented reality (AR) audio could lead to headphones that seamlessly blend digital audio with real-world sounds, potentially reducing the isolation effect that can lead to excessive volume use.

In conclusion, while headphones themselves don’t directly cause tinnitus, improper use can contribute to hearing damage that may lead to this condition. By understanding the risks, adopting safe listening practices, and staying informed about technological advancements, users can enjoy their audio experiences while protecting their long-term hearing health. As research continues and technology evolves, we can look forward to even safer and more personalized audio solutions in the future.

Can headphones cause tinnitus? – SoundGuys

Headphones can cause tinnitus, but it’s neither the Bluetooth nor the noise canceling that’s to blame. Both wireless headphones and earbuds are harmless when used responsibly. What can give rise to tinnitus, however, is hearing loss.

The problem with headphones is that people tend to listen at high volumes. When you exceed safe listening levels for too long, your hearing will suffer. And tinnitus happens to be a common side effect of hearing loss. Let’s unpack each of these points in order.

Editor’s note: this article was updated on February 7, 2023, to update frequently asked questions.

What is tinnitus?

Pexels Tinnitus is a common side effect of noise-induced hearing loss.

Tinnitus is a sound, heard in one or both ears, that lacks an external source. People typically describe it as a high-pitched ringing or hissing noise, though each tinnitus is different and can change over time.

Tinnitus has numerous causes, including ear infection, diabetes, hypertension, medication, or brain injury. Many types of tinnitus are temporary and reversible. The most common trigger for chronic tinnitus is sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), which can be age-related and noise-induced. And that’s where headphones and your listening habits come in.

How can headphones cause hearing loss and tinnitus?

Noise-induced hearing loss is increasingly common in young adults.

Hearing loss happens to all of us as we age, but it happens faster when we strain our ears. Prolonged exposure to loud sounds can lead to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). This affects almost every adult, adolescent, and kid today.

Not necessarily. The thing about headphones is, they subjectively don’t sound as loud as loudspeakers, even when the same sound pressure reaches your eardrum. With the sound completely isolated to your ears, the rest of your body misses out on vibrations along with other physical and spatial cues. The lack of this visceral experience may tempt you to increase the volume, especially with earbuds, or when you’re in a noisy environment.

It’s become the norm to use headphones to drown out the world. One study reports that a majority (over 60%) of young people use headphones regularly, and over a third of them (37%) use their headphones at high volumes. Several studies conclude that using headphones can impair hearing. A Swedish study, finds that nine-year-old children who use headphones multiple times a week to listen to music have poorer hearing than those who don’t use headphones. Unsurprisingly, hearing loss is on the rise among adolescents.

Frequently using your headphones at unsafe volumes can cause both hearing loss and tinnitus.

People with hearing impairment are twice as likely to have tinnitus compared to those with typical hearing. This study by Oosterloo et al. also confirmed that while hearing loss is age-dependent, tinnitus is not. According to those researchers, age alone doesn’t increase your risk for tinnitus, possibly because the hearing loss develops gradually. Rather, tinnitus appears to be a more likely side effect when hearing loss happens suddenly and the brain poorly adapts to the abrupt lack of input.

Can active noise canceling headphones impact tinnitus?

Sabina Music Rich NIHL often triggers chronic tinnitus.

We already established that headphones don’t cause tinnitus, unless you turn up the volume too much. The same is true for active noise canceling (ANC) headphones; the technology as such doesn’t cause tinnitus.

But many people wonder whether noise canceling headphones can actually help their tinnitus. That’s a different question entirely, and the answer is maybe.

How does noise canceling work?

Active noise canceling isn’t to be confused with passive isolation, something that all headphones and earphones (save for a select few) have to some degree since they cover or plug up your ears. Noise canceling, on the other hand, requires battery power to literally cancel out external noise with sound.

Constructive and Destructive Interference Sound waves of equal amplitude, offset at half wavelengths result in compression waves with an amplitude of 0—canceling out the sound.

An embedded microphone registers ambient noise while the headphone’s speaker drivers emits matching sound waves that are out of phase relative to the unwanted background noise. The out-of-phase “anti-noise” waves then negate the ambient sound waves in real time, effectively canceling them; this is called destructive interference. In a perfect world, this results in complete cancellation causing negation of ambient noise.

How can noise canceling headphones help with tinnitus?

Noise canceling headphones can’t quiet your tinnitus, but headphones with effective noise isolation and noise cancellation can significantly attenuate ambient noise. Because ANC headphones shield you from external noise, you can listen at lower volumes, which reduces the chance of (further) hearing loss, and in turn, protects you from tinnitus.

What are safe volume levels?

World Health Organization Unsafe noise levels start at 85dB(SPL), if exposure exceeds the safe listening time.

When you turn up the volume on your headphones, you can reach levels of over 115dB(SPL), which is equivalent to a rock concert. At that volume, hearing loss happens within minutes. If you care about your hearing and want to avoid tinnitus, you should limit the volume and your listening time.

For adults, up to 80dB(SPL) is a safe volume, though you should still give your ears regular breaks. Keep in mind that exposure to 89dB(SPL) for more than five hours can cause permanent NIHL. For kids, ASHA recommends no more than 75dB(SPL). Generally, you should limit your listening time to one hour per day.

How can you maintain a safe listening volume?

A rule of thumb is to stay at or below 70% volume when using over-ear headphones. With in-ear headphones (aka earbuds), 60% volume is recommended. You can also use mobile apps or settings on your phone to control the maximum volume. If you’re in the market for new headphones, consider volume-limited headphones, which typically max out at 85dB(SPL).

What are the best headphones for tinnitus?

The Puro Sound Labs PuroGamer limits the maximum volume.

The best headphones for tinnitus are those least likely to give you hearing loss. Avoid earbuds. Instead, choose over-ear headphones with good noise isolation and active noise canceling like the Sony WH-1000XM4. If you can, go with volume-limited headphones, such as the Puro Sound Labs PuroPro for adults, the PuroGamer for adults and adolescents, or the PuroQuiet for kids and adolescents. Whatever headphones you use, keep the volume down.

Finally, if you already suffer from hearing loss or tinnitus, consider getting a hearing aid. Hearing aids can slow down the progression of hearing loss and the mental decline associated with it. Hearing aids can also help with tinnitus.

Frequently asked questions about tinnitus

Yes, using headphones for too many hours per day or at unsafe volumes can worsen your tinnitus. Moon Audio recommends that people who suffer from tinnitus avoid earbuds that sit directly in the ear canal because “the pressure and nearfield of the drivers can aggravate tinnitus.”

Loud noises can cause temporary ringing in your ears. It doesn’t matter whether the noise came from your headphones or any other loud environment. If you’ve had your tinnitus for six months or more, it’s likely chronic, which means permanent.

There is no known cure for chronic tinnitus. What you can do is to guide your focus away from the phantom noise, for example by listening to white noise. Some hearing aids offer tinnitus treatment programs through companion apps. The Widex Zen Tinnitus Management and ReSound Relief apps, for example, are free, and you can use it with regular headphones.

If you already have hearing aids, speak with your care provider as they may be able to unlock tinnitus treatment programs available within your hearing aids’ companion app. Owners of Widex Moment and Widex Moment Sheer hearing aids, for example, have access to SoundRelax. According to Dana Helmink, AuD, Senior Director of Audiology and Clinical Education at Widex, SoundRelax uses fractal sounds to “support relaxation, concentration, and well-being.”

Can Using My Headphones Cause Tinnitus?

By Moira LawlerMedically Reviewed by Justin Laube, MD

Reviewed: November 27, 2022

Medically Reviewed

It’s not the headphones. It’s the volume coming through them that can lead to tinnitus.
Getty Images

Tinnitus, a symptom characterized by hearing a phantom ringing in the ear even though it has no external source, is most commonly caused by exposure to loud noises and hearing loss. (1) Does that mean the headphones you wear every day could be to blame for the ringing in your ear?

It’s definitely possible that listening to loud music through headphones can cause hearing loss that results in tinnitus — but it’s more the volume at which you’re listening to music (or other audio) through your headphones that you need to be concerned about than the headphones themselves.

“How you listen, whether through earphones or some other means, doesn’t cause hearing loss,” says Lori Zitelli, an audiologist with the UPMC Center for Audiology and Hearing Aids in Pittsburgh. “It is how loudly you listen that causes damage over time.”

That means you don’t need to swear off headphones altogether to avoid developing tinnitus. But if you do use headphones, here are a few facts to know and precautions you can take to avoid listening for too long or at a dangerous volume.

Too Much Exposure to Any Loud Noise Causes Hearing Loss, and It’s Increasingly Prevalent Among Young People

Tinnitus is more common in people older than 55 because it’s natural to experience hearing loss as you get older (and hearing loss is one of the most common causes of tinnitus). But hearing loss is becoming more common in younger individuals, and research suggests exposure to loud noises is likely to blame. (2,3)

In today’s world, we’re all frequently exposed to a lot of noises (and a lot of loud noises at that). But for younger individuals in particular, many popular activities tend to be loud ones. Think practicing loud hobbies like hunting, taking workout classes with music blasting, or attending noisy sports games and concerts. And it’s getting more and more common to spend more of the day with headphones on — whether you’re listening to music while exercising, commuting, getting work done, or even sleeping.

All this constant noise exposure — coming through headphones and other sources — can contribute to damage to hearing and, possibly, the structure of the inner ear, Zitelli says.

The American Osteopathic Association says one in five teenagers experiences hearing loss in one way or another. That’s about 30 percent higher than rates in the 1980s and 1990s. (4) The World Health Organization estimates about 1.1 billion young people are at risk of losing their hearing because of how often and how loudly they listen to their personal audio devices and attend noisy events. (5)

Kit Frank, founder of The Hearing Hub in Las Vegas, says hearing loss is something she’s seeing more and more of in her young patients. And she suspects headphones are partially to blame. “It’s just a more common thing to have something in your ear, and we’re putting more stress on the ears than we’ve ever done before,” she says.

A study involving Swedish adolescents found a link between wearing headphones and listening at high volumes and having poor hearing. The study also found teens who spent three hours or more at a time with headphones on were more likely to experience tinnitus than those who didn’t use headphones as long. (6)

In addition, a review of 26 studies published in the International Journal of Audiology looked at daily music exposure via personal listening devices and hearing problems in adolescents and young adults. It found that more than half of those studied (58%) exceeded the 100% daily noise dose, particularly in the presence of background noise. And this correlated with abnormalities during hearing testing, even among users that self-reported “normal hearing.”

Tinnitus (that hissing, ringing, or buzzing in the ear) generally develops when people start to lose the ability to hear sounds from the environment around them. (7)

In some cases tinnitus can be temporary, when people experience it for a short period of time after going to a loud concert or listening to headphones or other speakers too loudly. The buzzing or hissing may die down after a short time, but it may have left permanent damage to the hair cells in the ear. These hair cells control your ability to hear, and when damaged, hearing loss can result. (8) But these hair cells get damaged slowly over time, which means hearing loss develops gradually.

Research is currently focusing on how to promote regrowth of these hair cells, but until there’s a solution, it’s important to focus on protecting the ones you have already, which you can do by listening to your headphones at safe levels.

Limiting Volume, Length, and Frequency of Listening Helps Protect Your Hearing

What counts as listening to music at unsafe levels? How long you listen, how loudly you listen, and how often you listen all play a role. “The effects of noise exposure are dependent on the dosage,” Zitelli says — more so than whether you’re listening via headphones or a traditional speaker. “In other words, [it’s about] how loud the sound is and how long you listened to it.”

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) says it can be unsafe to listen at 85 decibels (dB) for longer than eight hours a day. Eighty-five dB is about the level of city traffic. When you increase the volume to 100 dB, damage can begin in as little as 15 minutes. Listening at 100 dB is the volume you’d expect at a rock concert. (3)

Ileana Showalter, MD, an otolaryngologist with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, recommends limiting the time spent with headphones on to no more than one hour each day.

The WHO’s international standards for safe listening for adults suggest limiting exposure to a maximum of 80 dB of sound for a maximum of 40 hours (with less than 8 hours per day), and maximum of 70 dB for younger listeners.

They also recommend that you:

• Keep the volume as low as possible while listening to music.
• Limit the time engaged in noisy activities — including activities at work, home, and leisure.
• Monitor safe listening levels over personal audio systems and in noisy spaces; heed the warning signs of hearing loss.
• Discuss any hearing concerns with your primary doctor and intermittently get your hearing checked.

The Type of Headphones You Use May Contribute to Hearing Risk

To minimize the amount of damage that could be done to your ear, choose your headphones wisely, Frank recommends. She says over-the-ear headphones are a better option than earbuds that go directly into your ear. “The over-the-ear ones are good because they’re not so deep in your ear,” she says. (Which means equivalent volumes will be less damaging.)

Frank also suggests choosing headphones with noise-cancellation capabilities. “Noise-cancellation headphones cancel out the background noise,” Frank says. “If you’re usually cranking up your volume, you don’t have to crank up the volume of what you’re listening to as much [with noise-cancelling headphones].”

If you aren’t a fan of over-the-ear headphones, look for loose-fitting earbuds, which expose the ear to a lower sound pressure level than canal phones that fit snugly in the ear canal.

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Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

1. Tinnitus. Mayo Clinic. February 4, 2021.
2. Tinnitus: Ringing in the Ears and What to Do About It. Harvard Health Publishing. August 15, 2022.
3. Ears Ringing From a Loud Concert? Why That’s Not a Good Sign. Cleveland Clinic. January 2, 2018.
4. Headphones and Hearing Loss. American Osteopathic Association.
5. New WHO-ITU Standard Aims to Prevent Hearing Loss Among 1.1 Billion Young People. World Health Organization. February 12, 2019.
6. Widén SE, Båsjö S, Möller C, Kähäri K. Headphone Listening Habits and Hearing Thresholds in Swedish Adolescents. Noise & Health. May–June 2017.
7. Tinnitus. American Hearing Research Foundation.
8. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. March 16, 2022.

Additional Sources

• Jiang W, Zhao F, Guderley N, Manchaiah V. Daily Music Exposure Dose and Hearing Problems Using Personal Listening Devices in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Audiology. January 15, 2016.
• Deafness and Hearing Loss: Safe Listening. World Health Organization. February 23, 2022.

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Can headphones harm your health?

“Get the bananas out of your ears! You’ll be completely deaf soon!” – almost everyone has come across such a phrase at least once in their life, and it doesn’t matter if it was uttered by you or, conversely, addressed to you. Rumors that listening to music with headphones can damage your hearing have been around for a long time, but how true are they and when should you start worrying?

These and other questions were answered by the expert of Roskachestvo Valery Mishchenko, an otosurgeon and senior researcher at the GBUZ NIKIO named after. L.I. Sverzhevsky DZM.

Young, but already deaf!
When it comes to a person with poor hearing, we most often imagine noble old men with gray hair. And not without reason, because hearing loss is a problem that affects the elderly more. Deterioration begins at a young age, from the age of 30, but becomes noticeable, as a rule, only after 60 years. However, recently, according to the expert, the number of young people suffering from the so-called sensorineural hearing loss has also increased dramatically. And why? The problem may lie in the headphones.

Sensorineural hearing loss

– hearing loss in a very short time, develops quite quickly. 1.5-2 years after the onset of the first symptoms, if nothing is done, a person can lose 35-40% of hearing. But this pathology is difficult to treat. In fact, all treatment comes down to vascular therapy. And its goal is not treatment as such, but the prevention of further hearing loss.

Make it quiet…
As with all things in the world, the most important thing is a sense of proportion. Unfortunately, it is often forgotten by young people who practically live in headphones without taking them out of their ears for days. They can move with them around the city, in transport, relax and work, and even fall asleep. As Valery Mishchenko notes, the noise level around us is already increased due to the hectic life of the city (busy highways, repair work, rumbling traffic), and excessive stress on the ears can leave unpleasant consequences for health.
You can better understand the level of stress on your ears if you compare sounds by loudness, which is measured in decibels (dB). So, the quietest sounds that the human ear can pick up are 10-15 dB, the volume level of a whisper is about 20-24 dB, a scream is 60-65 dB (and this is already uncomfortable for hearing). Any noise up to 80 dB can be tolerated by the human ear without much harm, but it is worth raising the bar to 90 dB, as it already becomes dangerous. The maximum volume level in headphones is most often in the range from 110 to 130 dB. Do I need to say how detrimental it is to hearing?

© Photo: pixabay kaboompics

So listening to music every day for several hours at a volume above 80 dB is dangerous. People who practice this are at risk. The thing is that with this mode of using headphones, auditory sensory cells are seriously damaged and neurosensory hearing loss develops. It is manifested by a feeling of fullness in the ear and tinnitus, which usually appears in the evening. Over time, the noise gets louder. When these symptoms appear, it is necessary to visit an otorhinolaryngologist and undergo an examination to prescribe further treatment.
So what? Don’t listen to music with headphones at all? Not at all. You can listen, but no more than 2 hours in a row and no more than 2-3 hours a day. According to the expert, the use of headphones in the subway is of particular danger. If you really can’t do without it, then at least make sure that the volume of the music in the headphones does not drown out the traffic noise.

The safest “bananas”
Headphones are different. According to the type of sound delivery, intra-channel and overhead can be distinguished. So, otorhinolaryngologists do not recommend using the first type, because in-ear headphones direct the sound exactly to the eardrum, resulting in excessive sound pressure, which can cause damage to the inner ear and auditory nerve.

© Photo: pixabay Wokandapix

On-ear and over-ear headphones that cover the auricle are safer in this regard. They transmit a less dense sound to the ear, making it possible to spread the sound wave more evenly. In this case, the volume should not be maximum, 60% of the maximum level is enough. To avoid having to turn up the volume to the maximum in noisy places, use the active noise canceling function whenever possible.

Listened to what to do?
Has tinnitus appeared for no apparent reason, does it not go away or gets worse? Trouble sleeping because of tinnitus or does it interfere with your focus while you work? Is your tinnitus accompanied by a feeling of congestion? If at least one of these things you note in your home – immediately to the lore! The organ of hearing is very important, through it we perceive almost 10% of all information. So take care of your ears and be healthy!
Prepared by Anastasia Sturova

© Photo: pixabay sweetlouise

Headphones in your ears: can your head hurt, how to restore your hearing

Contents

• Can your head hurt from headphones
• If your ear is blocked after headphones
• Restore hearing after headphones

9006 1 Headache after headphones, what’s the matter ?

• Why your ears hurt
• How to properly put on headphones and wear them without harm to your health
• The main problem with AirPods Pro

Contents

Can headphones hurt your head

It is worth mentioning right away – the harm from the headphones does not come from the accessories themselves. If this were so, then earplugs and noise-protective headphones for work, and, in principle, everything that puts at least some pressure on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe organ of hearing, would be harmful to a person.

The harm from such an invention is directly related to their work in transmitting sound, especially too loud sound.

Help. The sound volume level when listening to music or watching a movie using such accessories should not exceed 60 dB, and the duration should not exceed an hour.

Loud music in headphones can cause intense headache

Excessively loud music through headphones affects several organs at once, causing the following sensations:

• headache without cause, irritability;
• the appearance of a sensation of tinnitus;
• disorientation of a person in space.

So, head from headphones, or rather from this way of listening to music, may well get sick and very intensely.

The mechanism of headache occurrence is as follows : after 40 minutes of listening to music, there is a violation of the tone of the brain and its blood circulation, which leads to such unpleasant sensations.

In addition, a person may experience a rapid heartbeat and high blood pressure.

Loud music can be destructive to a person

In addition to the impact of music itself, it is worth noting that the head may hurt due to improper design of the headphones.

Especially often complain about headphones – “burdocks”, which not only squeeze the head, but also pretty much press the auricle.

In any case, this phenomenon disappears after 10-15 minutes after removing the headphones.

To prevent such a problem from returning, you need to control the time spent in headphones , the volume level and choose a convenient device design.

You need to choose based not on beauty and design, but on technical characteristics and convenience for you personally. It is better, of course, to ask the store to immediately try on the headphones so that there are no unpleasant discoveries at home.

If the ear is stuffed up after the headphones

Ears blocked from the headphones can be due to acoustic injury

If the ear is stuffed up after the headphones, and besides, extraneous noise is felt, then this may indicate acoustic injury , that is, exposure to excessively loud music, and damage or even death of the auditory receptors of the hearing organ occurs.

Attention. If you have experienced this phenomenon more than once, then you should immediately visit a doctor, as this may be the beginning of the development of hearing loss.

To explain this phenomenon, it is necessary to consider the principle of sound transmission in this device . Vacuum headphones are of particular concern to doctors here, as they form pressure inside, to which the human ear is not able to adapt.

There is no air layer, so loud music has an unhindered destructive effect on the auditory system, causing it to overstrain.

Nature for the human auditory analyzer has provided a protective function only from short-term strong sound waves, Long-term exposure can lead to very deplorable consequences:

1. The inner ear ceases to function fully.
2. Negative effect on the vestibular apparatus due to the exposure of the eardrum to constant vibration from loud sounds.
3. Development of sensorineural hearing loss – damage to the auditory nerve.

Based on the above, ear congestion after headphones is a very serious condition.

The hair cells that convert sounds into signals and send them to the brain die off. In addition, it is better to refuse headphones for a while and switch to an acoustic listening method.

Restoring hearing after headphones

Restoring hearing after headphones is extremely difficult

How to restore hearing after headphones? Here, perhaps, a slightly different question would be appropriate – is it possible to restore hearing after headphones?

Read also: What should I do if my child has an earache?

We have already found out that loud music can lead to hearing loss and deafness, not immediately of course, it takes years of “headphone therapy”.

And here are the first “swallows” of the development of hearing loss with frequent use of accessories in the foreseeable future (we have already mentioned them – noise, buzzing in the ears, congestion).

Next, we will consider the stages of the negative impact on the auditory function of loud music in headphones and their treatment.

First, a person ceases to perceive high-frequency sounds (birdsong, words with hissing sounds, for example, fly, donut). A person, of course, is able to hear, but it is not possible to partially correct such a defect, since high-frequency settings are often ignored in hearing aids. That is why, in practice, in such a situation, audio amplifiers often interfere and cause severe fatigue and discomfort.

If no action is taken to impede the progress of this process, then the result may be a complete loss of the ability to parse sounds.

Without going into medical terminology, the ear and the brain are connected by a thin nerve. It acts as a cable for transmitting impulses from the ear to the brain. Loud sounds damage this cable, as a result of which the impulses reach the brain poorly.

Our speech is the same impulses. The less they enter the brain, the worse the person hears. Subsequently, the brain can generally forget how to recognize human speech, and everywhere it will hear indistinct babble.

It is extremely difficult to restore the ability to recognize sounds. This is a long and painstaking treatment and, moreover, high financial costs for hearing aids. However, it is impossible to completely restore hearing. It is only possible to improve the condition of the hearing impaired, and to teach the brain to parse sounds and speech with the help of devices to improve hearing.

In order to restore hearing, it is necessary to undergo long-term treatment

Of course, it is impossible to say that headphones are evil. With the same success it is possible to classify everything that is around as harmful to a person.

Here it is worth remembering that everything should be used in moderation. So you get and enjoy listening to your favorite composition and protect your body from harmful effects.

Headache after headphones, what’s the matter?

• Probably listened to music loudly and for a long time! This can increase the pressure, you can even get a disease of the middle ear! While refraining from headphones, lightly massage your head.
• what is zamngo, then the pig is harmful.
• In addition to the pressure of the headphones, the head may still hurt from prolonged use of the headphones. You don’t have to listen to music for a long time.
• put the earpiece on one ear.
• if the headphones are closed, that is, they stick tightly into the ear, then this is normal, I also refused these for the same reason, by the way, they were banned in Europe because they hurt the ear
• Egor, headphones are very harmful and unsafe, not only can your head hurt from them, but you can also lose your hearing.
• If you turn on the volume at full power while sitting in headphones, then indeed the ear membrane will not only be damaged over time, but it also threatens with hearing loss. It will not withstand just so many decibels if you like to listen to music very loudly without disturbing the peace of your neighbors. Under no circumstances should this be done. You are only engaged in gradual shell shock, so to speak.

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• Very headache because of headphones

very headache because of the headphones I just went for a walk in the headphones.

ear hurts after headphones, went to the ENT, they said it was slightly deformed.

Why ears hurt

When ears hurt, life starts to turn into a nightmare. Almost always, with earache, a person experiences a headache that prevents them from doing their daily activities normally. Ear pain can be caused by a disease of the ear itself, pathology of the jaw, inflammation of the tonsils, trauma, etc. Sometimes the pain comes from the headphones, or rather from wearing them incorrectly. To quickly get rid of this unpleasant symptom, you need to contact a good specialist who will quickly diagnose and prescribe effective treatment.

See also: Why does the auricle hurt?

Possible causes of ear pain

The most common cause of pain is ear disease. which include:

• otitis externa, otitis media and internal;
• eustachitis;
• inflammation of the mastoid process.

Pain may be due to pain in other areas. For example, when the trigeminal nerve is inflamed with toothache, with inflammation of the joints of the neck and spine, when there is inflammation of the facial nerve. Ears can also hurt with a headache when there is a pressure drop. When a person rises to a great height (for example, while flying on an airplane) or dives deep under water, he begins to feel an unpleasant pressing feeling in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe ears.

Various insects can easily enter the ear #8212; mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches. Their movement inside the auricle causes very severe pain, since the eardrum, which they touch, is very tender and sensitive. With an atypical (ear) form of myocardial infarction, the patient does not hurt the heart, but the ear area. That is why very often it is not possible to make the correct diagnosis in time. To correctly establish the diagnosis, it is necessary to consider all the accompanying symptoms and be sure to undergo an examination. With all the desire, the patient will not be able to do this on his own.

Pain may be caused by recent trauma.

Particularly severe pain in the ear occurs when the eardrum ruptures. With such pain, you can even lose consciousness. Damage to the membrane is possible with a rupture near the projectile, a bruise and fracture of the skull, with a strong blow, with foreign bodies in the ear, with thermal damage, frostbite.

Inflammation of the canal that connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx can also cause pain. They are accompanied by symptoms such as:

• ear congestion;
• sensation of fluid pouring down the ear;
• hearing loss.

Pain may occur with mastoiditis #8212; inflammation of the mastoid process, which is located next to the auricle. The pain in this case is pulsating in nature, there is swelling in the area of ​​​​the auricles, the appearance of secretions, drowsiness, fatigue, fever.

The appearance of shooting pains may indicate the presence of arthrosis or arthritis. Also, the pain can be replaced by aching. It may be accompanied by a crunch in the temporomandibular joint.

Pain that occurs when swallowing is also observed with the appearance of malignant tumors in the oral cavity, with tonsillitis, pharyngitis and mumps. With inflammation of the cervical lymph nodes, which are located in the auricle, the ear itself very often hurts.

Ear pain after wearing headphones

Patients sometimes complain of acute pain after using headphones. In this case, most often the patient experiences tingling in the same place. Headphone pain can occur for several reasons.

Firstly, such a symptom may indicate the presence of otitis externa or otitis media. To make a correct diagnosis, you need to examine the ear using modern optics and good lighting. The patient is usually asked to take a complete blood count and take a smear for the presence of fungal flora.

Secondly, the pain from the headphones can be due to the presence of cerumen. In this case, it should be removed, instilled into the ear and applied to the ear with a drug application. Sometimes physiotherapy is prescribed.

Thirdly, the auricle can hurt from listening to loud music or from improperly selected headphones. Listening to loud music for a long time can negatively affect the whole body, so try to control the volume and use only well-suited headphones.

How to properly put on headphones and wear them without harm to health

Headache

It would seem that the use of active noise cancellation technology should significantly improve the life of avid music lovers who can not imagine the way to work, walk or outdoor activities without on-ear headphones wrapped around their heads, musical drive and rhythm.

The number of models equipped with SASH is really growing by leaps and bounds. Headphones of various price categories and form factors are presented on the market: from inexpensive compact earplugs to weighty studio monitors.

Read also: Simple methods to test a child’s hearing

The noise reduction system is improving every day, the quality of music playback is growing, manufacturers are finding new and new marketing solutions to popularize headphones with a system Noise Cancelling .

But there is a category of people who, with all their positive attitude towards portable sound, are forced to abandon all the technological advantages of “perfect headphones” for one simple reason – intolerance to the active noise reduction system.

The reality of today’s market is very different from that of just 10-15 years ago. Before going to the store, the buyer carefully studies the reviews, reviews and re-reads a dozen or two reviews, and only then decides to buy.

Among the reviews dedicated to the category of active noise canceling headphones of such eminent brands as Bose, Phiaton, Sony, Beats, you will find many positive points. Yes, manufacturers really did a lot to make the headphones not only sound good, but also sit comfortably and have an interesting design.

Read the lines more closely and you will see that a small percentage of happy owners complain of constant headaches and nausea when wearing headphones with ASP.

What is it – customized reviews of competing parties or a reality that not everyone faces? So why is it that when using seemingly perfect headphones that allow you to enjoy crystal clear sound without extraneous noise, your head starts to hurt?

AirPods Pro main problem

“AirPods Pro’s Active Noise Cancellation works just fine. However, after a couple of days of using this feature, I began to notice an unpleasant pressure in my ears, which caused a headache and led to increased sensitivity. I woke up several times feeling like I had a headache. At first, I didn’t even think that feeling unwell could be due to noise cancellation, but after I stopped using this feature, I noticed that everything went away, ”said one user.

To understand what’s going on, you need to understand how active noise cancellation technology works in AirPods Pro. The fact is that to suppress external sounds, the headphones use a system of microphones, determining the noise coming from the outside, and, in fact, forming the so-called anti-noise. Despite the fact that it is almost impossible to distinguish it, most likely it is he who puts pressure on the hearing, due to which a certain category of users suffering from individual intolerance to noises of that frequency begin to experience headaches.

Proper use of headphones

They can be of any shape: droplets, barrels, plugs. The main thing that unites all modern headphones is the principle of overlapping the internal auditory canal. The small size and almost complete protection from external noise have made vacuum headphones an indispensable thing for a modern person. They can be worn outdoors without attracting much attention, used even in winter under clothes, you can listen to your favorite music in a noisy environment.

Open or closed?

A real revolution after the advent of traditional closed headphones was the invention of separate, open. Since about 2000, “barrels” have appeared – a model that allows you to insert a separate nozzle into each ear. This invention was associated with the spread and widespread use of mobile devices. Such open headphones made it possible to listen to your favorite music or audio books in public places, in the subway, in public transport.

But along with the mass distribution of such tiny devices, there was a need to put them on correctly. After all, when “droplets”, vacuum headphones, appeared, their frequent use began to lead to hearing impairments or even injuries. The main difference between such a device is tightness: silicone pads completely cover the ear canal, and external noise does not interfere. You can enjoy high-quality sound only by observing certain technologies.

How to choose headphones?

1. Read instructions and see illustrations (if available).
2. Consider a pair of headphones: some manufacturers separate right and left ear shapes.
3. If these are vacuum headphones, then try on each of the available tips, choosing the one that does not cause any discomfort. You don’t need to stick the pad too deep into the ear so that you don’t have to go to the traumatologist later if you can’t remove it yourself.
4. Listen to music in different modes to find the perfect set for your music.

Sources

• https://indosti.ru/mozhet-li-bolet-golova-ot-naushnikov/
• https://vrach-med.ru/bolezni-uha/mozhet-li-ot-naushnikov-bolet-golova-i-zakladyvat-sluh.html
• https://symptomu.