Stop Headphones From Hurting Your Ears: 10 Easy Steps

When purchasing headphones, it can sometimes be challenging to know which is the most comfortable to wear. If you’re getting a premium brand, then you might be shocked to hear that even those types of headphones can actually hurt your ears. You can simply judge design and technology, but comfort is more individual and difficult to spot, especially if you are purchasing from a brand that’s just new to you or buying off the internet.

 

The Retention Force Keeps Your Headphones Cling to Your Head and Prevent Them From Falling.

This is an essential factor in ensuring your headphones are in place. However, too much of it can result in extreme discomfort due to the excess tension it causes on your head—this pressure, when built up due to prolonged use, may cause external compression headache

 

Change the Headphone Type

In-ear earbuds might be easier and more compact to use for activities such as cleaning, working out, or anything that includes a lot of movement, but they do pose a higher risk to your ears than headphones. Earbuds are closer to your eardrum, which increases the damage done by increased volume. Limit the use of in-ear headphones to when you need to use them, such as during exercise or when you are at risk of the headphones falling off your head.

 

Use Your Headphones Less Frequently

It would be best also to mind the time spent utilizing your headphone because your ears always need some time to recover. Aside from pain, too frequent headphone usage can cause noise-induced hearing loss.

But how much listening is a lot?

• Use “the rule of 60”

You can follow one simple rule, but always remember that it is not carved in stone. “The rule of 60” asserts that you should not use your headphones for more than 60 minutes at a time. Additionally, it would be best to stick by the maximum 60% volume and 60 dB to avoid damaging your hearing.

 

Use Noise-Canceling Headphones

Noise-canceling technology is often used with single-ear Bluetooth cell phone headsets. Its primary purpose is to scrape out all the extraneous noise coming from the outside. This way, you can concentrate on the sound reaching from your headphones.

Without some external noise in the way, you can reduce the volume and still hear everything. Nevertheless, this may be a double-edged sword. Not hearing anything from the outside world may actually be dangerous, primarily in traffic. So, if you go for such headphones, always be sure you are aware of your surroundings and are not putting others or yourself in great danger.

 

Do Not Wear Eyeglasses with Headphones

When it comes to glasses, you should concentrate on preventing glasses from etching into your head. So, for one thing, try to avoid wearing headphones and rely on earphones or earbuds instead. However, if you’re keen on wearing your headphones with glasses, then there are some less uncomfortable Do-It-Yourself tricks to do so:

• Reduce the clamping force to avoid pressing the glasses really hard into your head.
• Go for over-ear rather than on-ear headphones.
• Get unique glasses with thinner and flexible frames.
• Use ear pads with softer and thicker cushioning.
• Cut a gap within the ear pads where the glasses go through.

 

Lowering the Volume 

Honestly, it’s as simple as that: Lower the volume that comes through headphones or earplugs. But don’t stop there. Try to keep the volume from other sources low, such as when watching TV at home. Also, if you think the volume is not low enough, check that your headset does not have separate volume control.

 

Search For The Best Fit

Yes, find a pair that actually fits! If you are planning on getting a new pair, choose compatible designs. When it comes to headphones, you would want them to have a stretchy band so that you can change the clamping force. 

However, as the former chief designer at Apple said, “making headphones that can fit everybody is equivalent to making shoes that fit every foot.” You get the idea, right? — keep looking until you find the headphones that are perfectly right for you.

 

Wear Actual Headphones

Earbuds and headphones are not the same things. Obviously, “Earbuds” refers to the small, typically hard plastic or silicone devices that sit snugly in your ear. While “Headphones” refers to the type of devices that sit over your ears, normally covering the entire ear. The range from sound to eardrum may be the least between earbuds and headphones, but it’s vital in the long run. 

 

Take a Listening Break

Simple things like taking a break from your headphones can help avoid headphone-induced hearing loss. The longer you listen to loud music, the greater the possibility of damaging your ears. Try to rest for 5 minutes every 30 minutes or 10 minutes every 60 minutes.

Or maybe follow the 60/60 rule.

 

Set the Volume Limit

Some devices enable you to set a custom volume limit through settings. On Apple (iPhone), just go to Settings > Music > Volume limit to set a maximum. Check your device’s settings or your user manual to determine if you can set a volume limit. 

Are you still uncertain? According to the NIH or National Institutes of Health, the best rule of thumb is to “avoid noises that are too close, too loud, or last too long.”

 

Conclusion

All headphone models are designed to fit all ears. Therefore, you only need to find the right one. As I mentioned, there are ways on how to make headphones not hurt your ears, and you may be wondering what the best solution is.  So, the next time you feel the urge to listen to music, figure out how to wear them properly. The hunt for the right headphones is going to be a tough one. But, it will be much simpler if you follow the tips I shared with you. Always remember that your hearing is always at stake — don’t risk losing something very precious.