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AirPods causing tinnitus?

After using my AirPods for a while, I noticed a high pitched ringing in my ears (that doesn't go away). I didn't know what it was, so I looked it up and it turns out to be tinnitus. Now understand, I don't listen to music, or anything for that matter, loud. As a matter of fact, I carry a pair of earplugs in my pocket, just in case I encounter anything loud that would damage my hearing.


Having said all that, now I notice that when I put my AirPods in my ears and have nothing playing, they emit a high pitched tone that I would say exactly replicates the tone of my tinnitus, leaving me to believe that the AirPods actually caused my tinnitus.


[Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Nov 24, 2019 10:46 AM

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Posted on Jan 12, 2023 5:35 AM

This happened to me too. I already had some mild tinnitus and using AirPod Pro 2’s seems to have aggravated it to the point where it is very noticeable all of the time more so in the left ear. I’m going to stop using them altogether in the hope the volume of the ringing returns to normal.


it’s very disappointing as the sound quality is excellent and the ANC makes such an improvement, but I’m worried I’m permanently damaging my ears using these.


For info my AirPod 2 (not pro) never gave me this issue and we’re used daily. It’s also not a volume issue as I can keep volume lower than ever with these being in ear and with the ANC.


Has anyone had any breakthroughs with this by getting them replaced?

623 replies

Dec 31, 2021 9:03 AM in response to ESchurr

In my research lately I have come across a lot of conversation on the internet, chat rooms etc. about tinnitus resulting from Covid infections. I have also spoken with a few friends who newly mention tinnitus affecting them after they were diagnosed with Covid. All along I thought my tinnitus was from the Airpods but the timing I cannot deny. Meaning, I was affected in April 2020 with Covid and within several weeks is when I noticed the severe tinnitus ringing for the first time. Having stopped using the Airpods now for months the ringing has not dissipated so I am now seriously wondering of Covid was the cause - and not the pods. Just some food for thought here.

Jan 6, 2022 4:39 AM in response to MacbookProRetinaGuy

About 1 year ago, I'd started to experience a low frequency hum in my ears noticeable at night when going to sleep. I thought it must be a motor or perhaps some nearby neighbours pool filter running at a certain frequency.

Then a few months ago, the noise started to follow me around during the day and was a permanent condition.

I tried to pinpoint what may have been the beginning of the condition and thought it may be the iPod pros. I knew that since buying them, they were being used up to 4 hours a day for both phone calls and podcasts.

The hope was that in stopping using them, maybe the hum would go away. I still can't believe it but after only a week of stopping to use them, the hum has completely gone away. Its been about a month now.

Im sure this is rare and does not effect most 99.99% of users. I would never put those iPods pros in my ear again in the case that they trigger that hum again and that it becomes an irreversible condition for me.


Jan 10, 2022 6:57 AM in response to MacbookProRetinaGuy

Response on 8 Jan 2022 : I was given the latest version of Airpods Pro as a birthday present on 21 Dec 2021. I only used it for about 2 to 3 hours on that day at a fairly low to moderate level as I am fully conscious of the harm of music played loudly through head-phones. Immediately after taking them off I noticed a loud ringing in my right ear - I am guessing a frequency around 4 to 6 Khz. I stopped using the head-phones, hoping the ring would go away and have not used them since. It has now been almost 3 weeks and the loud ringing does not seem to be getting any softer. I am now worried that this tinnitus is permanent. It is a very loud and constant, and I hear it at every waking moment. It is driving me bonkers. I did report the issue as a complaint to Apple and tried to return the head-phones but as they was bought from JB HiFi, Apple refused to accept it unless I had a medical statement from an ENT specialist. Not quite sure how an ENT specialist can hear my tinnitus. I have other Noise-cancelling head-phones (Sony wh-1000xm3 and Bose QC-15) and I have not had issues with them. Anyone have any success in making the tinnitus stop.


[Edited by Moderator]

Jan 26, 2022 2:38 PM in response to MacbookProRetinaGuy

Heys guys, I've been experiencing vertigo and tinnitus all this January 22. By reading this article, seems it is not a casuality, that I got these symptoms right after receiving my Airpods Pro as a Christmas's Gift (Dec 25).


I'm getting freak out for real !!! because is all over internet that there is no treatment for Tinnitus, and that eventually will cause hearing lost. WTF :(

Jan 29, 2022 4:22 PM in response to MacbookProRetinaGuy

I started noticing a ringing in both ears ever since I got the AirPods pro. I already had some ringing prior to owning the AirPods pro. However, it's gotten so much worse. I'm most likely going to stop using them because the ringing is slowly getting worse. Which is unfortunate, because I really love the headphones. I hope Apple addresses this issue.

Jan 31, 2022 7:17 AM in response to MacbookProRetinaGuy

Has Apple provided any answers or help for this? I just upgraded my phone and had to get the Air Pods in mid December 2021. Only five weeks in, and the ringing/Tinnitus is so bad, I have spent all morning looking up possible lawsuits and other fixes. I finally bought an adapter on Amazon to use my old ear phones (don't have it yet). This is definitely directly related to the Air Pods. I have custom ear plugs for shooting and loud work location and have never had this so bad!!

Feb 2, 2022 8:52 AM in response to MacbookProRetinaGuy

I have the same experience as many here with Airpods Pro. Purchased a set in late 2020, and after the second or third session of moderate volume use, experienced a weird discomfort in both ears. Initially thought it was some skin allergy to the silicone tips. Woke up early the next morning and the ringing was terrible in both ears. No previous ear issues, had perfect hearing.


Have been through the Audiologist approach (hearing is otherwise normal, pain threshold normal, no physical factors (hairs, wax), they cannot directly test for tinnitus). Tone amplitude varies, made worse by loud environmental noises (ambulance with siren passing, for example). Have tried a few medication and meditative treatments, pink noise etc. It is now over one year, and it will be permanent for me.


I have read this thread about 100 times, and weirdly it is a source of comfort. I would suggest that anyone commenting can be specific about the exact model to which they are referring (regular Airpods (1, 2 or 3), Airpods Pro or Airpods Max). This may be useful as we seek to find a way out of this sometimes dark place.

Feb 6, 2022 9:53 PM in response to MacbookProRetinaGuy

This affects me as well. I'm a heavy user of the original 1st gen Airpods. I am a die-hard Airpod lover. They've changed my life. I listen to 20 books on audible each year. I'm significantly more productive being able to speak with people while accomplishing other tasks with ease. I've purchased every single generation of Airpod at this point. Here's my story:


I had been using the original Airpods for years with seemingly no ill effects of hearing or tennitus. Extremely happy user. Would tell everyone to get them. When I saw the Airpod Pros come out, it was a no-brainer purchase for me.


So after wearing the Airpod Pros for 2 weeks, I noticed a constant high ring in my ears. I stopped using them and the high ringing sound greatly diminished. I used my original Airpod and the ringing did not return to the high levels.


As soon as the Airpod 3s came out, I got them. After 1 week the high ringing returned. I stopped using them and the ringing diminished (still there but only noticeable once in a while).


I then purchased Airpod 2s! Thinking maybe it's the shape of the Airpod 3s. (since I knew it wasn't the noise-canceling since the Airpod 3s don't have noise-canceling). After using the Airpod 2s for a week, the high ringing returned!


At this moment, I'm discontinuing the use of the Airpod 2s and returning those. We'll see if the ringing subsides again. I've already purchased original Airpod 1s on eBay lol. We'll see what happens.


Definitely really sad that I may not be able to use Airpods anymore. For me, there's a very strong correlation between using anything 2nd generation and up with tinnitus. Assuming that the original AirPods are the only ones that do not cause tinnitus for me, I'll be out of options in a couple of years. Apple, please figure this out!

Feb 7, 2022 5:34 AM in response to BB_10

I had reported here earlier: On only my 2nd use of new AirPods Pro in Oct. 2021, on noise cancellation only, not with music etc., after only 2 hours of use, I lost complete hearing in one ear. (My first use of the AirPods was for a phone call--no loud music, etc. I never listen to loud music.) Over the next 2 days most of the hearing seemed to return but I immediately saw an audiologist (2x) and an otolaryngologist who did tests and found I had some loss in both ears and significant hearing loss in one ear in "the upper registers" (high-pitched sounds). I also developed mild tinnitus. The doctor could not identify a cause--sudden loss happens, she said, in young and old. A 2-week course of oral steroids did not help so the loss is permanent. I had fine hearing prior to this. I returned the Air Pods convinced that they were the cause as no other health or situation causes were present. I have what seems to be permanent mild tinnitus. This was all extremely upsetting given the cost and supposed fine technology of AirPods. (My Bose QuietComfort II headphones never caused me a problem.)


Feb 9, 2022 3:13 PM in response to MacbookProRetinaGuy

Since I got my Airpods Pro 3 weeks ago I’ve developed an intense tinnitus. I’ve had a history of tinnitus but the symptoms have been very mild for the last years, only occuring on very busy days now.


A few days into using my Airpods Pro that I predominantly use on ANC-mode without even playing music, for podcasts and taking calls, I’ve noticed an aggressive high pitched white noise in my ears. Since it’s been so long since there were parties with loud music, since my job isn’t as stressy anymore and since I am very aware of loud situations I’m in, it’s very easy to see that the only variable in my situation was the use of Airpod Pro headphones, also because the earpain is almost instant. I want to stress out that I hardly listen to music and wear them about 1h a day maximum.


I’ve worked days on end with Bose’s over ear noise cancelling headphones for years without the slighest problem. Instead of calming my ears like my previous Bose headphones did I feel that this Apple Pro’s digital ANC is very stressfull on the ears and could actually cause damage.


Is there a way I can officially report this issue, or that other people with this issue can unite?

Feb 11, 2022 3:47 PM in response to MacbookProRetinaGuy

Feb 2022 and I'm noticing this after a month and a half, too. I wish it wasn't true, but it's getting on my nerves now. I know what to listen for — I've been in some very loud situations in my music career and this ringing is just as bad even if I've simply listened to podcasts at 50% volume. I'm going to read through all these responses and see if anything stands out.

Feb 11, 2022 4:08 PM in response to ESchurr

That's what I'm hoping to find out with mine, too. I've had mine since mid-Dec last year (so about 6 weeks, too) and don't use them every day, but I notice ringing ears on the days I do. I may have posted here that it's like I just finished playing in a bar band like back in college, except that I was on a work call and then watched some Youtube, or simply walked to the train station.


I'm this close to contacting my doc and getting an ENT appointment. I've got semi-regular audiograms stretching back twenty years, so it would be useful to find out for sure if my hearing curve is getting wrecked.

AirPods causing tinnitus?

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