I Think Headphones Caused My Tinnitus (Using Them 8 Hours a Day Working from Home)

[Hoosierman39]

Hello all. Glad to have found this site.

For the past week or so I have been experiencing a high pitch sound. Almost like someone left the tv on, or a piece of electronic equipment running. My ears feel like they are full and clogged. It is driving me crazy. I didn't realize the only thing I have been doing different lately is listening to YouTube wearing over the ear can headphones (on low volume). I work from home so I had them on basically 8 hours a day listening while I worked.

What should my next step be? Visit the doctor or get some ear wax removal stuff? I did some exercised earlier to open up my ear drums and it seems to have helped. This is scary stuff and never realized that headphones could do such damage at even low volumes....Thank you.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I have been doing different lately is listening to YouTube wearing over the ear can headphones (on low volume). I work from home so I had them on basically 8 hours a day listening while I worked.

HI @Hoosierman39

Sorry to know you are going through such a difficult time at the moment with tinnitus. It can be very stressful especially in the early stages. I have a few suggestions that might be of some help and hope you start to feel a better soon.

Headphones are the most common cause of Noise induced tinnitus, which is what I suspect you have from reading your post. If this is the first time you have experienced tinnitus, then it might be reassuring to know in most cases it improves with time. For this to happen my advice is stop using headphones and don't even use them at low volume. This will give your ears a chance to rest. Please click on the links below and read my posts. Try to read them in full and not skim through them. Try to avoid quiet rooms and surroundings especially at night by using sound enrichment. More information about sound enrichment is in the link: New to tinnitus what to do?

All the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

 

[Mister Muso]

Get yourself a nice set of computer speakers if you don't have them already. Unless you have extremely noisy housemates, I can't see why you would need headphones.

They really should sell headphones with a strong health warning on the packaging, like they do with cigarettes:

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| WARNING - THIS PRODUCT MAY SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEARING. |
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[Hoosierman39]

HI @Hoosierman39

Sorry to know you are going through such a difficult time at the moment with tinnitus. It can be very stressful especially in the early stages. I have a few suggestions that might be of some help and hope you start to feel a better soon.

Headphones are the most common cause of Noise induced tinnitus, which is what I suspect you have from reading your post. If this is the first time you have experienced tinnitus, then it might be reassuring to know in most cases it improves with time. For this to happen my advice is stop using headphones and don't even use them at low volume. This will give your ears a chance to rest. Please click on the links below and read my posts. Try to read them in full and not skim through them. Try to avoid quiet rooms and surroundings especially at night by using sound enrichment. More information about sound enrichment is in the link: New to tinnitus what to do?

All the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

Thank you Michael! I will definitely read the information you have provided. Actually I used to play in bands for about 20 years so I have experienced tinnitus before which went away after a day or so. This seems much worse and its unbelievable that is was caused by headphones on low volume. Thanks again, appreciate it and I will read there links here soon.

 

[Hoosierman39]

Get yourself a nice set of computer speakers if you don't have them already. Unless you have extremely noisy housemates, I can't see why you would need headphones.

They really should sell headphones with a strong health warning on the packaging, like they do with cigarettes:

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| WARNING - THIS PRODUCT MAY SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEARING. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Right now I am using the speakers. The reason why I was using headphones was not to interrupt my wife while she slept, etc. A few days ago I started asking everyone in the house if they were hearing a high pitched noise and they thought I was crazy (as usual lol). Who would of guessed it was the headphones? Unbelievable, I wonder how many experience hearing damage without ever having a clue!

 

[GregCA]

What should my next step be?

I'd suggest a hearing test.

Visit the doctor or get some ear wax removal stuff?

The latter would only be useful if you have wax. Do you have wax?

I did some exercised earlier to open up my ear drums and it seems to have helped.

The ear drum doesn't open up (thankfully!). It's a sealed membrane, that you don't want to open. I don't know what exercises you are talking about, but if it's the Valsalva maneuver, I'd be cautious about doing it too frequently or too strongly.

Good luck.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Thank you Michael! I will definitely read the information you have provided. Actually I used to play in bands for about 20 years so I have experienced tinnitus before which went away after a day or so. This seems much worse and its unbelievable that is was caused by headphones on low volume. Thanks again, appreciate it and I will read there links here soon.

@Hoosierman39

You are welcome Hoosierman. Since you have provided more information it clarifies things and this is what I think: The fact that you played in a band for many years, means that your auditory system was subjected to overly loud sounds resulting in you experiencing tinnitus, perhaps more than once. Unfortunately this is where the danger is, as some people believe once the tinnitus has gone away they are safe and can carry on as usual, which so often is not the case. Although the tinnitus reduced making you less aware of it, in truth is it was there waiting in the background and ready to strike and make it's presence known as it is now. Using headphones in the manner that you did for long durations was the catalyst that brought it out from the background into full manifestation as it is now.

I advise you never to use headphones again even at low volume and keep away from overly louds sounds. Your tinnitus will probably improve but will take time. Please read all the information in the links that I have given you and talk with your doctor if you feel stressed.

Take care and all the best
Michael

 

[GlennS]

Michael is the resident headphones-phobe. Note his viewpoint is not universal here.

IMHO, it's not "headphones" that are the problem. It's the type of headphones, volume, and duration of prolonged use.

Many of us rely on mild sound through headphones to take the edge off of our tinnitus. To deny that would result in either having to deal with the T raw without masking or have to constantly pipe music through speakers which isn't always possible in every social situation (especially at work).

What avoiding "headphones" looks like if you need constant masking sources.

So going completely cold turkey on headphone use is really not advisable if you have any intention of maintaining your sanity. BTW, some of us rely on hearing aids which have maskers built in. These are for all intents and purposes, "headphones" as well. So this blanket demonization of headphones is silly. I know Michael will always disagree, but I stand by this.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Michael is the resident headphones-phobe. Note his viewpoint is not universal here.

IMHO, it's not "headphones" that are the problem. It's the type of headphones, volume, and duration of prolonged use.

BTW, some of us rely on hearing aids which have maskers built in. These are for all intents and purposes, "headphones" as well. So this blanket demonization of headphones is silly. I know Michael will always disagree, but I stand by this.

Hearing aids and white noise generators are completely different from headphones. I have explained this many times in this forum. If @Hoosierman39 follows your advice his tinnitus will almost certainly get worse. I am right and you are wrong.

Michael

 

[HeavyMantra]

IMHO, it's not "headphones" that are the problem. It's the type of headphones, volume, and duration of prolonged use.

Well, it would appear Hosiermanns tinnitus was caused by/activated by the "right" type of headphone on low volume. That kind of gives Michael a point here, not that anyone is counting. The obvious thing to do here is to avoid further use unless Hosiermann wants to risk making his/her tinnitus worse.

 

[GlennS]

Well, it would appear Hosiermanns tinnitus was caused by/activated by the "right" type of headphone on low volume.

There's no way of knowing that. I mean, Pete Townshend blamed headphones even though he played concerts that broke Guinness world book records on volume. (And note that his bandmate John Entwistle was almost completely deaf by the time he died.) Of course, he was talking about 70s style closed earphones which are more dangerous, but still. So if you're a musician, your main exposure is from playing with your band, not "headphones on low volume". Like in my case, the damage occurred playing with a live drummer. There's nothing as dangerous as a loud snare and cymbal as far as I'm concerned, nothing outside of being in a war-zone with munitions going off.

I reject the idea there is any difference to the ear between listening to low volumes through headphones vs. through the air as long as the headphones breathe a little bit (the type with foam pads being best). Maybe a little more wide frequency response. That's about it. But hey, I realize this debate is just going to go around in endless circles.

 

[Hoosierman39]

This is an interesting debate. Logically, you would think that headphones even on low volume would not cause a problem. I cannot prove it was the headphones, but the only thing different I did during the past week was use headphones to listen to audio. My doctor has prescribed me some steroid treatment, not sure which kind. Since he is not able to treat anyone in person due to the virus he is treating it as tinnitus or a possible ear infection. He also said that tinnitus from the headphones wasn't out of the real of possibility but couldn't discount it being an inner ear infection. Personally I believe it to be due to the headphones.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Personally I believe it to be due to the headphones.

I have had noise induced tinnitus for many years. Corresponded and counselled people with noise induced tinnitus. My tinnitus was caused by headphone use due to listening at too high a volume. If you want proof that headphones can make tinnitus worse for people that already have NIT. Search through the posts in this forum and you'll see where many people returned to using headphones at low volume after they habituated and regretted it, because their tinnitus increased to a new permanent level. Not everyone with NIT are affected by headphone use but many are. Consider what you are going through at the moment. When your tinnitus eventually settles down which is likely to happen in time. If you return to using headphones even at low volume, you risk it increasing to a new permanent level. You will be completely on your own without anyone to help you. Do you really want to play Russian roulette with your health?

Take care
Michael

 

[Hoosierman39]

I have had noise induced tinnitus for many years. Corresponded and counselled people with noise induced tinnitus. My tinnitus was caused by headphone use due to listening at too high a volume. If you want proof that headphones can make tinnitus worse for people that already have NIT. Search through the posts in this forum and you'll see where many people returned to using headphones at low volume after they habituated and regretted it, because their tinnitus increased to a new permanent level. Not everyone with NIT are affected by headphone use but many are. Consider what you are going through at the moment. When your tinnitus eventually settles down which is likely to happen in time. If you return to using headphones even at low volume, you risk it increasing to a new permanent level. You will be completely on your own without anyone to help you. Do you really want to play Russian roulette with your health?

Take care
Michael

Hello Michael-

Yes, I researched and it seems there is a strong correlation between headphones and tinnitus. Also, after searching google there is large evidence that even at low volumes headphones pose a danger. My doctor has prescribed Prednisone pack and Kelfex. This seems like overkill but they do not interact so going to go with what he says. I am worried because some people report a negative reaction to prednisone, but at this point I don't see the noise level getting any worse. And agreed that any return to headphones is bad news at this point. When the gym opens up I will have to forget bringing my MP3 player anymore - its worth heeding the warning signs and just playing with fire at at this point.

 

[Bartoli]

Pete Townshend blamed headphones

Actually recently Al DiMeola mentioned that Pete is convinced now that it was the wind noise from his motorboat. Amplifier stacks next to his head, thinks the boat did him in

To the OP : try and get your hearing tested and lay off the headphones for a while should be best. If you have to, put on some masking sounds if the going gets rough.
myNoise.net is a great site for that.

 

[Bartoli]

Also, after searching google there is large evidence that even at low volumes headphones pose a danger.

Could you elaborate or link some of that evidence?

 

[GlennS]

Headphones are dangerous--if you run them at high volume the way most kids do these days. The problem is that people tend to be REALLY BAD at determining what is or isn't "low volume". Objectively speaking it may be high volume but you'll think it's low to mid volume. This is especially true when listening to music that tends to sound best at higher volume like EDM, hip-hop, or metal. Duration is also important. Ears "fatigue". You have to give them some time to rest. The longer the listening session, the riskier it is. So there are a lot of variables here. I just think this blanket indictment of "headphones-bad" is oversimplifying to the point of absurdity. Put your head in front of two speakers and crank the volume and you can get T too. It's the noise, not the device per se.

 

[Auron]

on low volume

How are you measuring you headphones?A lot of people underestimate just how loud their headphones are.Just curious.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I am worried because some people report a negative reaction to prednisone, but at this point I don't see the noise level getting any worse. And agreed that any return to headphones is bad news at this point. When the gym opens up I will have to forget bringing my MP3

@Hoosierman39

I have never tried prednisone. GPs in the UK are not known to prescribe this steroid for tinnitus or sudden noise trauma. I advise that you read my post: New to tinnitus what to do, it is in the link that I have given you and read the other posts too. Leave your ears alone and give them time to settle down. Since you have doubts about prednisone it's probably best to give it a wide berth. If you are feeling stressed then have a word with your doctor. Keep away from headphones and never ever use them again even at low volume. Some people like to be told what they want to hear and I hope you are not one of them. Therefore, try not to be persuaded by those that take risks with their health.

Take care
Michael

 

[david c]

Hello all. Glad to have found this site.

For the past week or so I have been experiencing a high pitch sound. Almost like someone left the tv on, or a piece of electronic equipment running. My ears feel like they are full and clogged. It is driving me crazy. I didn't realize the only thing I have been doing different lately is listening to YouTube wearing over the ear can headphones (on low volume). I work from home so I had them on basically 8 hours a day listening while I worked.

What should my next step be? Visit the doctor or get some ear wax removal stuff? I did some exercised earlier to open up my ear drums and it seems to have helped. This is scary stuff and never realized that headphones could do such damage at even low volumes....Thank you.

You are wise to refrain from using headphones, especially as they appear to have caused your tinnitus. It really isn't worth the continued risk. Some people think you can get away with using headphones at low volumes - but it is a risk - tellingly for me the people who advocate this often seem to be people who have not been able to habituate to their tinnitus at all.

In terms of Prednisone I would follow the advice of your doctor on this one, there does seem to be evidence that taken early enough it can sometimes at least prevent tinnitus from becoming permanent. Attitudes to it among GPs vary from country to country. Often in the UK GPs are all too often dismissive of tinnitus as a condition - especially if they don't have it themselves, and so don't think it's worth prescribing. I think in many European countries the attitude is different.

 

[hans799]

My case is very similar. I had stable tinnitus for decades. After a while I began using headphones just like you do - low volume, but all the time, 8-10 hours a day. And I developed a new tone. Of course I can't be sure that it was the headphones, but I have been off of them for 3 years and didn't get any new tones... so it seems pretty likely.

I agree with others who say that the reason is long-term auditory fatigue. After all, OSHA defines safe noise levels in decibels and in duration. If a 85dB noise is only safe for 8 hours, it is entirely possible that a 70dB noise is only safe for 24 hours or a week or a month... but if you hear it every day, all day long, then over months it could lead to deterioration of the ear. And while this would apply to all types of noise, irrespective of whether it was emitted from a speaker or a headphone, maybe the difference is that there are less external references with headphones, so they are more typically overused in this manner.

 

[Hoosierman39]

Could you elaborate or link some of that evidence?

Just Google search tinnitus headphones "low volume". The information is out there.

 

[Hoosierman39]

How are you measuring you headphones?A lot of people underestimate just how loud their headphones are.Just curious.

Low volume for me means a normal talking voice level. I was just listening to Youtube videos, mostly documentaries, not blasting the volume, just on a normal level.

 

[Hoosierman39]

@Hoosierman39

I have never tried prednisone. GPs in the UK are not known to prescribe this steroid for tinnitus or sudden noise trauma. I advise that you read my post: New to tinnitus what to do, it is in the link that I have given you and read the other posts too. Leave your ears alone and give them time to settle down. Since you have doubts about prednisone it's probably best to give it a wide berth. If you are feeling stressed then have a word with your doctor. Keep away from headphones and never ever use them again even at low volume. Some people like to be told what they want to hear and I hope you are not one of them. Therefore, try not to be persuaded by those that take risks with their health.

Take care
Michael

Hello Michael-

This morning the tinnitus ringing is significantly lower and bearable, but it is still there. I also forgot my doctor prescribed Fluticasone nasal spray as well. My right ear still seems to be clogged or full, but the left ear is way better. Overall, it seems to be improving with the combination of anti-biotics and steroids. I also have an ear wax kit coming from Amazon today but think it will be put on the shelf for the time being. Yes, in total agreement on the headphones, I will not be using them an longer. Also, I think the main problem with headphones is not the volume per say, but rather the close distance to the ear drum which causes overstimulation and damage - just an observation. Thanks!

 

[Hoosierman39]

My case is very similar. I had stable tinnitus for decades. After a while I began using headphones just like you do - low volume, but all the time, 8-10 hours a day. And I developed a new tone. Of course I can't be sure that it was the headphones, but I have been off of them for 3 years and didn't get any new tones... so it seems pretty likely.

I agree with others who say that the reason is long-term auditory fatigue. After all, OSHA defines safe noise levels in decibels and in duration. If a 85dB noise is only safe for 8 hours, it is entirely possible that a 70dB noise is only safe for 24 hours or a week or a month... but if you hear it every day, all day long, then over months it could lead to deterioration of the ear. And while this would apply to all types of noise, irrespective of whether it was emitted from a speaker or a headphone, maybe the difference is that there are less external references with headphones, so they are more typically overused in this manner.

Yes, there seems to be an issue for some people. It is my guess that it is not the volume level per say, rather the close distance which causes issues. Hopefully your condition will improve and we all learn to recognize and take seriously the warning signs.

 

[Hoosierman39]

Just wanted to update (hopefully this thread will help someone now or in the future).
The fullness in my ears (pressure) is about 90% gone after the first 24 hours of medication. Not sure if this is a good sign or not. The high pitch ring is still there but bearable.

 

[Jorge1984]

Just wanted to update (hopefully this thread will help someone now or in the future).
The fullness in my ears (pressure) is about 90% gone after the first 24 hours of medication. Not sure if this is a good sign or not. The high pitch ring is still there but bearable.

That good to hear hopefully your tinnitus goes away later

 

[david c]

Just wanted to update (hopefully this thread will help someone now or in the future).
The fullness in my ears (pressure) is about 90% gone after the first 24 hours of medication. Not sure if this is a good sign or not. The high pitch ring is still there but bearable.

Good news - it looks likely that the prednisone has been effective. If you continue with your avoidance of headphones and avoid attending events which are likely to be loud noise triggers hopefully your tinnitus will continue to fade.

 

[Hoosierman39]

Just an update. Finished the steroid/antibiotics from the doctor this morning.
My ears are unclogged for the most part. However, this ringing is still there.
Right ear buzzing seems to have decreased by maybe 30%. Also started a regiment of
Ginko and vinpocetine, along with drinking alkaline water. Will report back if anything
changes. Good luck to everyone out there!

edit: I tested my tinnitus tone and it seems to be very high around 16000hz.