How Are Hearing Aids with Maskers Different Than Wearing Headphones?

[Tinker Bell]

I do believe maskers are 'safer' than earphones because an audiologist can set the volume at a safe level and you cannot adjust it yourself.
There is always the risk that one sets their earphone volume too high and does further damage to their ears.

Right, but that risk exists with other things. One could also set the volume on their speaker or stereo too loud and do further damage, yet I have not seen posts cautioning us to never play music. Or their TV. TVs can be turned up quite loud, I've always wondered why such high volumes were even needed. Which reminds me of headphones sold by audiologists specifically for individuals with hearing loss to better watch TV.

Volume can be adjusted on some maskers and hearing aids. I spoke with an audiologist regarding one and he cautioned that I would need to remember to adjust the volume back to a lower setting. Now of course the maximum output on a hearing aid is far lower than the maximum volume of a hearing aid, but some phones allow us to lock the volume -- which helps ensure it does not even accidentally reach too high of volume. Some headphones also have this functionality. My kids both have headphones with a safe max decibel range.

Editing to add: And to clarify regarding headphones and earbuds, I'm not interested in their use in regards to playing music, but in terms of using an earbud with white noise -- which is exactly what multiple audiologists (who have tinnitus) have said is safe at low volumes.

 

[maltese]

Right, but that risk exists with other things. One could also set the volume on their speaker or stereo too loud and do further damage, yet I have not seen posts cautioning us to never play music. Or their TV. TVs can be turned up quite loud, I've always wondered why such high volumes were even needed. Which reminds me of headphones sold by audiologists specifically for individuals with hearing loss to better watch TV.

Volume can be adjusted on some maskers and hearing aids. I spoke with an audiologist regarding one and he cautioned that I would need to remember to adjust the volume back to a lower setting. Now of course the maximum output on a hearing aid is far lower than the maximum volume of a hearing aid, but some phones allow us to lock the volume -- which helps ensure it does not even accidentally reach too high of volume. Some headphones also have this functionality. My kids both have headphones with a safe max decibel range.

Editing to add: And to clarify regarding headphones and earbuds, I'm not interested in their use in regards to playing music, but in terms of using an earbud with white noise -- which is exactly what multiple audiologists (who have tinnitus) have said is safe at low volumes.

Nothing's wrong with headphones. Everything's wrong with us.

For some reason I'm comfortable with listening to headphones much louder than I would ever listen with speakers. That's why I avoid headphones as much as possible these days.

My "minimal comfortable volume" is much higher too.

This trend is true for many other individuals I know. I can often hear music playing on people's headphones from a few meters away. Easily club-level volume. Who would listen this loud on speakers?

That's obviously anecdotal evidence and it doesn't prove anything. It's up to you to decide.

 

[Tinker Bell]

Nothing's wrong with headphones. Everything's wrong with us.

For some reason I'm comfortable with listening to headphones much louder than I would ever listen with speakers. That's why I avoid headphones as much as possible these days.

My "minimal comfortable volume" is much higher too.

This trend is true for many other individuals I know. I can often hear music playing on people's headphones from a few meters away. Easily club-level volume. Who would listen this loud on speakers?

That's obviously anecdotal evidence and it doesn't prove anything. It's up to you to decide.

Right, it is a very individual thing. That's why I do not understand an anti-headphones view for all situations. I think there are some people quite capable of using them at a low volume as audiologist recommend. Especially for white noise or for work listening to tutorials, interviews, etc.

 

[JimJimJalabim]

While I don't particularly listen to music very often, or very loudly, or with headphones that often, I do use headphones while playing video games, as not to disturb the house.

Even then, they're open-ear headphones, and I keep them at a volume where I can hear my wife ask me a question (without her shouting) 2 rooms away with the doors closed. I don't believe my headphone use has caused any hearing damage any more than watching TV would cause any hearing damage at a lower-than-normal volume.

That being said, I can't find any method or tool that can even remotely gauge the dB levels a set of headphones delivers to your ears. I saw some post somewhere suggest that even if you put a dB meter up against the earpieces, the dB rating to your ears can be as high as 10 dB louder due to the channeling of the ear canal. Still, if hearing normal everyday sound comfortably feels and sounds the same as using headphones comfortably, I don't see how headphones specifically, cause damage differently than any other source of sound.

But, I'm not an expert.

 

[Michael Leigh]

While I don't particularly listen to music very often, or very loudly, or with headphones that often, I do use headphones while playing video games, as not to disturb the house.

Even then, they're open-ear headphones, and I keep them at a volume where I can hear my wife ask me a question (without her shouting) 2 rooms away with the doors closed. I don't believe my headphone use has caused any hearing damage any more than watching TV would cause any hearing damage at a lower-than-normal volume.

That being said, I can't find any method or tool that can even remotely gauge the dB levels a set of headphones delivers to your ears. I saw some post somewhere suggest that even if you put a dB meter up against the earpieces, the dB rating to your ears can be as high as 10 dB louder due to the channeling of the ear canal. Still, if hearing normal everyday sound comfortably feels and sounds the same as using headphones comfortably, I don't see how headphones specifically, cause damage differently than any other source of sound.

But, I'm not an expert.

@JimJimJalabim

If your tinnitus was caused by "loud noise" I advise you not to use headphones either to play music or playing video games at low volumes or the lowest setting. It is true, some people with "noise induced" tinnitus and have habituated, return to headphone use and have no adverse effects. However, it is very risky business. To use the familar saying: Do you feel lucky?
With noise induced tinnitus, some of the ear hairs attached to the cochlea are affected and also the auditory nerve.

I wish you well
Michael

 

[JimJimJalabim]

@JimJimJalabim

If your tinnitus was caused by "loud noise" I advise you not to use headphones either to play music or playing video games at low volumes or the lowest setting. It is true, some people with "noise induced" tinnitus and have habituated, return to headphone use and have no adverse effects. However, it is very risky business. To use the familar saying: Do you feel lucky?
With noise induced tinnitus, some of the ear hairs attached to the cochlea are affected and also the auditory nerve.

I wish you well
Michael

Always better safe than sorry, sure. I don't believe mine was caused by loud noise, I don't really have a history of acoustic trauma. My hearing is perfect in the normal range, little falloff in the higher frequencies age-appropriate ranges.

I certainly don't want to advocate anyone risking anything. I think I just fail to see how headphones, specifically, would cause hearing damage at the same dB levels one would hear doing anything else?

 

[Michael Leigh]

Always better safe than sorry, sure. I don't believe mine was caused by loud noise, I don't really have a history of acoustic trauma. My hearing is perfect in the normal range, little falloff in the higher frequencies age-appropriate ranges.

I certainly don't want to advocate anyone risking anything. I think I just fail to see how headphones, specifically, would cause hearing damage at the same dB levels one would hear doing anything else?

Headphones will not cause hearing damage as such. If a person has tinnitus which was caused by "loud noise" and they continue to use headphones, even at low volume it can make tinnitus worse for some people. It has nothing to do with hearing damage.
I will leave you with the following thought. You are new to tinnitus, I've had it for many years and counselled people with the condition. Some people (not all) that have successfully habituated to tinnitus, returned to listening to music through headphones at low volume, and their tinnitus has got a lot worse. That's all I'm going to say on the matter.
All the best
Michael

 

[JimJimJalabim]

Headphones will not cause hearing damage as such. If a person has tinnitus which was caused by "loud noise" and they continue to use headphones, even at low volume it can make tinnitus worse for some people. It has nothing to do with hearing damage.
I will leave you with the following thought. You are new to tinnitus, I've had it for many years and counselled people with the condition. Some people (not all) that have successfully habituated to tinnitus, returned to listening to music through headphones at low volume, and their tinnitus has got a lot worse. That's all I'm going to say on the matter.
All the best
Michael

Gotcha. Confused the discussion between hearing damage and T.
Thanks for the insight.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Gotcha. Confused the discussion between hearing damage and T.
Thanks for the insight.

The thing that some people don't realise, is that tinnitus can be ruthless and shows no mercy. I have listened to people crying on the other end of the telephone because of the distress they are in because of this dreadful condtion when it reaches severe levels. Some doctors and Audiolgists/Hearing therapists tell tinnitus patients who have "noise induced" tinnitus. Headphones is perfectly fine as long as the volume is kept low. These people tell patients what they want to hear, they don't know for sure whether headphone use will make tinnitus worse or not. As I've said, some people with "noise induced tinnitus" are not affected by headphone use but, it is risky. Just read some of the posts from members, in this forum that have used headphones after they have habituated and now regret it because their tinnitus has got a lot worse.

Michael