Every music lover’s goal is to be able to put on headphones and listen to their favorite music for hours. However, sometimes wearing headphones might hurt your ears. So, we will discuss the question “why do headphones hurt my ears” in this article.
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Why Wearing Headphones Hurt Your Ears
While headphones and earbuds are incredibly convenient, they come with potential risks of causing ear pain. There are several reasons why wearing headphones could hurt your ears, such as an improper fit, chafing of the skin, allergic reactions, or excess noise streaming into your ears.
Tightly fitting earbuds can also bring additional bacteria and debris into the ear canal and make it harder for your ears to naturally clean out excess earwax, which can lead to earaches, ear infections, and hearing loss.
Check Headphones Size Before Purchasing
Your ears will be irritated by smaller headphones. You should measure the width of the headband before making a purchase because one that is too tight will be painful and uncomfortable. You might not have given your head much thought before, yet every melon is different.
Contrary to popular belief, one size does not fit all. You should also consider the size of the cups because, if you have exceptionally large or tiny ears, some models may be too big or little for you.
The cushions won’t fit properly against the ear and will put pressure on the ear’s cartilage, which will be uncomfortable if they are too big or little.
When purchasing in-ear headphones, store the tiny package of extra buds in a secure location. These headphones typically come in smaller and larger sizes, making them potentially more comfy for your ears.
Since everyone has a unique ear canal, it can be particularly difficult to get the right fit with in-ear headphones.
One size does not suit all when it comes to in-ear headphones and earbuds, as anyone who has tried to keep them in place will attest to. Manufacturers choose their sizes and designs based on what they think would fit the greatest number of people.
Listener Fatigue
After spending a lot of time listening to sound, one may get listener fatigue. It is typically associated with “too much energy in the higher frequencies,” which can be attributable to how a headset is made or to our own individual sensitivity, according to Alex Rowe.
According to Sony, listener fatigue happens when your eardrums have to work too hard to process loud sound that is streaming through your ear canal, placing a heavy strain on the eardrum.
The best way to reduce listener fatigue is to take a break and take off your headphones.
Problem With Glasses
If your headphones rub up against the arm of your spectacles, it could become really painful. If you wear glasses and contacts, it can be wise to switch to contacts if you wear headphones for long periods of time.
Because they ease strain on the side of the head, thinner arms are preferred versus broader arms. You should keep this in mind the next time you buy glasses because your present ones might not be comfortable to wear with headphones.
Headphones Clamp Too Tight
Without the clamping action of headphones, they would just slide right off our heads and ears. For those of us who wear headphones while working out, the clamping effect is a huge perk.
We can move around actively without having to continually adjust thanks to it. The clamping puts pressure on the temporal bone and the ear cartilage, thus if the effect is too strong, it may be uncomfortable and painful.
Stretching the headphones over a row of books or the box they came in is one technique to lessen the amount of ‘clamping’ force they have. The process is gentle.
After all, the clamping effect is necessary to hold the cans on your head, so you don’t want to stretch them too far. They should have more “give” and be more comfortable to wear as a result of this.
Damaged Cushions
Although they are designed to be strong and comfy, headphone cushions can peel and break if they are not properly cared for. The most frequent reason for this is sweat damage.
It is quite corrosive to sweat. This won’t just smell bad; it will also look undesirable. Additionally, it will make the cushions uncomfortable to wear on the ears. You have a few options, depending on the sort of headset you’re wearing.
Purchasing new pillows is one alternative. Both Amazon and eBay have a sizable number of independent vendors. You may also install sweat-proof headphone covers to shield your cushions from moisture damage.
Ear Pressure Related Pain
By directly attacking the eardrums, headphones increase intracranial pressure. Your eardrums vibrate as a response to stronger noises. Therefore, the more discomfort you feel, the stronger the vibrations. Some businesses assert that extremely strong vibrations can make listeners fatigued.
How to Avoid Ear Pain
Stretch Headphones if Too Tight
Stretching out your headphones is the best solution if they are too tight. Follow these steps to accomplish this:
Find something substantial to use to break in your headphones. This can be a box, a stack of books, or anything else wide and stable. Look for something that is roughly the same width as your head or slightly wider.
Stretch your headphones out slowly and separate the right and left ear cups. Allow them to rest there for between 24 and 48 hours. The setting will be longer if the headband is thicker and stiffer.
If the headphones are still uncomfortable, you can either try the same procedure again or hunt for a broader device so you can stretch the headphones even more.
Avoid Wearing Glasses With Headphones
You should focus on avoiding glasses that cut into your head when it comes to eyewear. So, as a starting point, think about using earbuds or earphones rather than headphones.
However, there are some less painful do-it-yourself options if you must wear headphones with glasses:
- To prevent pressing the glasses too firmly against your skull, lessen the clamping force.
- Purchase a set of glasses with pliable, thinner frames.
- As opposed to on-ear headphones, over-ear headphones are preferred.
- Use ear cushions that are softer and thicker.
- In the area where the glasses will go, make a hole in the ear cushions.
Keep the Volume Down
Before listening to music using headphones, try lowering the volume on your music player because loud music can harm your ears internally. The music volume shouldn’t be much louder than the typical talking level of 60 dB.
You could have trouble finding the decibel intensity on your listening apparatus, though. In that case, you ought to adhere to your device’s recommended volume level.
But keep in mind that every organization has different volume requirements. Your headphone set can still give you the creeps because the standard for devices with higher volume levels may be higher than it is now.
FAQs about Why Do Headphones Hurt My Ears
How to make headphones not hurt your ears?
Take some foam or other cushioning and tuck it all the way under the ear pad of your headphones to increase comfort.
Why does headphones hurt ear cartilage?
The pinna, the outside portion of your ear, can suffer pressure injury if headphones are worn over or around it. Under headphones, bending or compressing the delicate pinna cartilage can be painful and put you at danger of inflicting a skin abrasion that might become infectious.
Conclusion
Ultimately, while it may be frustrating to deal with the discomfort headphones can cause, there are plenty of ways to help prevent this from happening. Making sure you have the right size ear tips, limiting the time you wear headphones, and using personal audio devices that don’t go into your ears can all help alleviate any pain or discomfort.
Taking the necessary steps to prevent ear fatigue and pain can ensure that you get to enjoy your favorite music without any problems. So, don’t let uncomfortable headphones keep you from listening to your favorite tunes – follow these tips and enjoy the music!
Thank you for reading this article. HereOfamily hope that you enjoy reading.
