Is it Okay to Wear Earbuds or Headphones While Having Tinnitus?

It can be rather challenging for those with tinnitus to listen to music or even go about their daily lives normally. Ear infections and hearing loss are two of the most common causes of tinnitus, while there are many more, even some that don't seem to have anything to do with the ears.

In light of this, you may be asking if it's acceptable to listen to music and wear headphones or earbuds while experiencing tinnitus.

Thankfully, yes. Headphones won't induce or exacerbate tinnitus. When experiencing a brief episode of tinnitus, you can continue to listen to music or podcasts.

You must use caution, though, to avoid further injuring your ears with your headphones. I will discuss a few pertinent subjects in that context.

Is It Okay to Wear Headphones or Earbuds If You Have Tinnitus?

As previously said, tinnitus is an extremely complex medical problem. It may occur as a result of many occurrences or health problems. As I previously stated, wearing headphones and utilizing them improperly is one of the more "obvious" causes of tinnitus.

Let's take a quick look at a few typical symptoms before we discuss the effects of headphones, as you might not be familiar with them.

Hearing other sounds is one of the symptoms of tinnitus, in addition to the most typical phantom ringing. These sounds are typically only audible to the afflicted patient, though a stethoscope may occasionally allow a medical professional to hear them as well.

These sounds usually go away in 16–48 hours, but in the worst instance, they can continue for nearly two weeks without stopping.

1.Headphones' effect on tinnitus

The primary cause of tinnitus is not the act of wearing headphones. Rather, it is the extended usage that matters.

It's a fact that listening to music on headphones is not the most "natural" way to do it. In a perfect world, we would be using speakers to play music. Unfortunately, we are unable to take our Bluetooth speakers that run on solar power or our party speakers with us everywhere we go. Therefore, by using headphones and earbuds, especially in public places, we unintentionally jeopardize our aural health (also known as ear health).

All other headphones—aside from open-backs and bone-conduction models—fully enclose your ears and ear canal. Your ears won't have much room to breathe as a result, which can lead to a number of additional issues.

Thus, wearing headphones for extended periods of time without taking frequent breaks might harm your ears, give you migraines, lead to infections, and even make you feel lightheaded.

Regretfully, the mistake of using headphones is only half the problem. In addition, in order to avoid hearing loss, you must control the level on your devices.

2.How tinnitus is affected by loud noise？

One of the most frequent things that can harm a person's hearing in both adults and children is loud noises from headphones and earbuds. Even though hearing loss was once primarily a problem for the elderly due to aging, more young people are now exhibiting mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Loud noises and music cause lifelong hearing impairment, which is the source of this disparity.

From an early age, youngsters use headphones excessively for prolonged periods of time or to listen to loud music if left alone.

No matter how long the exposure lasts, loud noises without the appropriate protection for the ears can tax the auditory system and permanently harm hair cells.

When most kids can listen to music at a reasonable volume, over 10% of teenagers misuse headphones by playing music at very high volumes for extended periods of time, even when they're asleep, according to a Swedish study.

Based on the information we now have, we can say that using headphones does not result in tinnitus, so we can view videos, listen to music, and indulge in podcasts without fear.

We must use caution when wearing our headphones, though, as doing so can lead to tinnitus or other ear-related problems. Let's discuss how someone with tinnitus can wear headphones without making their condition worse in the following part.

How Can Somebody with Tinnitus Wear Headphones Safely?

You will be able to use headphones comfortably if your tinnitus is sporadic and not too bothersome, and you do not need to use hearing aids. As I mentioned before, the act of wearing headphones alone does not create tinnitus; rather, the duration and volume of music played on them do.

Here are several habits to get into so you can occasionally enjoy using headphones.

1.Avoid playing loud music

You should never listen to loud music or people who are full of hate. The latter is the most alarming, but thankfully, it is within your control.

The last thing anyone with tinnitus wants is to have noise-induced hearing loss, which is a major problem. This is especially true when it's so tempting to turn up the music to block out those bothersome phantom sounds.

Extended amounts of time spent listening to music higher than 85 dB can make your tinnitus or hearing loss worse. In severe circumstances, it may even irreversibly harm the listener's hearing without their realizing it.

Thus, always turn down the volume before listening to your music. The 60/60 rule is a useful guideline to follow if you need to turn up the level even more: listen for 60 minutes at 60% of your maximum volume, then take another 60 minutes to relax.

Additionally, avoid sitting directly in front of the loudspeakers at rock concerts. This is not the best place to be at a performance, and the sound level will be extremely loud for anyone who has hearing issues.

2.Put on active noise-cancelling headphones

Having said that, some of you might find it difficult to hear music when working or traveling in environments with a lot of background noise.

In that scenario, investing in a set of active noise-canceling headphones is the best course of action since they will effectively block out background noise and provide your ears with some measure of hearing protection. Some even think that using headphones with noise cancellation helps reduce tinnitus.

Active noise-cancelling headphones are preferable to traditional open-back or closed-back headphones because you won't need to turn up the volume to try to block out background noise. In addition, it may offer some comfort or "sound therapy," depending on how severe your tinnitus is.

3.Use headphones with a closed-back design

While both earbuds and open-back headphones have benefits, closed-back headphones are a superior choice for listeners who experience tinnitus.

By design, closed-back headphones are more effective than open-back headphones at isolating outside sounds. Compared to in-ear headphones or earbuds, they are less intrusive and more pleasant than on-ear headphones.

All things considered, they are the best option for a person with tinnitus because they can use closed-back over-ear headphones at a safe volume wherever they are.