Can Wearing Headphones or Earbuds Cause Tinnitus?

How to use headphones and earbuds appropriately to help manage tinnitus.

We use headphones and earbuds to listen to podcasts, music or facetime with a family member, as well as participating in Zoom meetings. Earbuds and headphones are indispensable. By the emergence of noise canceling headphones, we can enjoy these activities even more as we mute the world around us.

For frequent flyers, commuters on public transit or workers in an open plan office, noise-canceling headphones might come handy. However, when you have ringing in your ears, also called tinnitus, you may be interested to understand how it can affect your tinnitus when using these headphones and how to best use them. Let’s learn to use them in a safe way, and understand how they might become helpful in your tinnitus journey.

Are headphones and earbuds safe to use or can they damage your hearing or make tinnitus worse?

First of all, what are noise canceling headphones? These kinds of headphones or earbuds lower the sounds in our environment. They can do this passively, by just simply covering the outer ear, and as such reducing the sound that is able to enter the ear canal. But more effective is the active noise-canceling. An artificial sound is presented that mirrors the sound in the environment and as such, they cancel each other out. So, you will hear neither the environment nor the artificial sound created by the headphone resulting in some peace. You may wonder if this potentially could also make your tinnitus less loud. Sadly, they only can cancel out environmental sounds, and not internal sounds such as tinnitus.

Any use of earbuds or headphones can cause hearing damage if they are listened too loud for a long period of time. That’s why it is important to be careful with the volume of your device. A rule of thumb is to stay in the first one-third of your volume range.

It’s also a good idea to give your ears now and then a break from sound, so they have the time to recuperate. Compared to other headphones or earbuds, noise-canceling headphones are even slightly safer, since they reduce surrounding sounds, so you don’t have to listen to your music as loudly, especially in noisy environments (which is great for your ears). So, yes it is safe to use noise-cancelling headphones, when using them wisely.

Advantages and disadvantages of noise canceling headphones for your tinnitus.

Your experience can be that the use of noise canceling headphones caused or worsened your tinnitus. It can be true. As noise-canceling headphones block the sounds from the environment, and you use your noise cancelling headphones without playing music, then your tinnitus can become more noticeable. The noise cancellation headphones are like soundproofing your room when you wear them. But that does not mean your tinnitus became actually louder. However, like any other headphones you need to be mindful to not over-expose yourself to loud sounds over long period of time, as you can damage your hearing. And we know that hearing damage can lead to tinnitus. 

On the other hand, some people experience that noise canceling headphones provide temporary tinnitus relief by making the world around us more peaceful. If you experience at this moment that sounds can provide tinnitus relief by relaxing or distracting you from your tinnitus, explore the use of noise canceling headphones together with Soundscapes in the MindEar app. If that feels true for you, you might want to explore more traditional earphones or even bone-conduction headphones. The bone-condition headphones have the great advantage to not block any environmental sounds. So you can listen to relaxing music, while being aware of your surroundings. Remember the safety tips for your hearing though, as you might tend to put the volume louder with bone-conduction headphones. So even though noise canceling headphones cannot reduce tinnitus, let me reassure you that it is okay to use them even while experiencing tinnitus, but again don’t listen for too loud and too long and give your ears sometimes a break.

How MindEar can help you in your tinnitus journey

If you're experiencing tinnitus, know that management and relief are possible. MindEar offers a range of scientifically-backed solutions designed to effectively manage your tinnitus symptoms and guide you through the four stages of tinnitus relief. Depending on your unique needs, you also have the opportunity to consult with a tinnitus expert who can provide personalized guidance on your journey toward a more normal life. From sound therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, to mindfulness techniques, our platform equips you with clinically validated tools you need to take control of your condition. The goal is to help you transition to a state where the constant noise becomes unnoticeable, thereby allowing you to live a healthy, happy life. MindEar is here to support and guide you every step of the way.

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