AirPods causing tinnitus?

I am a 78 yr old senior and are deaf in my (L) ear due to a brain tumor and I am looking for an air pod to watch TV. I purchased Air pods pro but I cannot turn the volume up. I can only use the (r) side pod to listen to the TV (kind of expensive for just one ear). Is there a possible way to turn up the volume. I was going to try the Beats over the ear, supposedly they have a volume button. Are they better than the Apple pods for sound or equal? Can u give me any advise. I also have bad tinnitus in my (L) ear 24/7. A.C.

i've had the same issue with the throbbing noise the same as my heart beat after using the airpod pro. i know some are saying it can't be possible from the headphones but it always starts after i've been using them and then goes away after not using them for an hour or so. just to be clear i don't have the volume very high as i usually just listen to audio books or podcasts. i really think this is an issue apple need to explore/investigate.

Well it doesnt take a brain surgeon to understand that if you had good hearing before you started wearing the AirPods and something changed while wearing it there is a possibility it might have something to do with it.

This is called "COMMON SENSE" which a doctor is not necessary. Common sense tells you to go to the Ear doctor if you notice a change in your hearing and the problem doesnt go away.

Many of us have gone to the audiologist or ear doctor. There's no easy diagnostic for tinnitus like a blood test or something. The doctors have told us there's nothing to be done and theres no definitive way to prove the cause.

Thanks for your comment! Please update us all as to if using the Pros without the noise cancellation solves the problem. As for me, my tinnitus is still here unfortunately. I returned my Airpod pros for reasons stated in my original post here.

I have been suffering with a high pitched frequency primarily in my right ear but lesser in my left ear for three weeks. I saw the doctor yesterday and he said it was tinnitus but saw no immediate medical signs for the problem and hoped it would resolve on its own. I use my AirPods infrequently, maybe 10 times a month, and when I do, I am careful about controlling sound levels to protect my ears. I wear ear protection when using loud equipment in the kitchen as well. Tonight, when I put my AirPods on, I heard a distinct high pitch sound emit from the right pod for about one second. Now I'm afraid to use it. What if this is what caused little ear hairs to bend or break at the nerve endings and now I just hear this horrible high pitched sound? I don't know what to think or do?

I am also experiencing this problem too. My ears are ringing a lot and the only correlation I can make is from my one AirPod Pro (left) seems to make this super high pitch frequency that resonates during loud songs but is only noticeable if you actually listen for it. This is obviously the cause of the tinnitus. Apple should be giving compensation for this!!!

Not at all. You’re inserting a speaker into your ear and it’s sealed in a manner that sound can’t escape. I’m no doctor but that’s my take. Even listening a low volumes and for short periods of time did it for me. I used the volume control built into your iPhone so sounds don’t go above a certain volume and it happened after 2 weeks of use. Thy was two months ago and I still hear the ringing very loudly.

I have the same problem as everybody else on here. It’s difficult to establish a cause and effect but it seems pretty obvious to me. I took mine to the Genius Bar for diagnostics and the pods were part of the early models that had this so-called crackling sound associated with them not sure if that’s the culprit but at least those are being replaced. I hope I don’t have to live with this my whole life

I recently bought the APP in July and have noticed ringing in my right ear. It also feels like a pressure build up like I’ve been on a plane. I got them replaced today to airpods manufactured later than 2020, yet I noticed it again when I got home so it’s a design defect. Thankfully the ringing goes away after a few hours but there’s definitely a big issue with the APP ANC. I never listen to music on high volume because my partner is deaf and I need to be able to hear my partner always. I’ve now stopped my 16 year old son wearing his.

Has to be. I fell asleep with my Airpods Max and I ALWAYS use noise canceling and my music is never loud. But this time i fell as sleep watching a movie and when the movie was done all sounds stopped. So how did I wake up with Tinnitus? Something to do with boise canceling. And the noise canceling on these headphones were amazing. Sad to say that I’ll never where them again. Sold them right after that. Didn’t even have them for 1 week. Apple also posted an article saying that 25% of there users will experience tinnitus. Thats a fat number assuming most people prefer apple products.

I am certain that the noise cancellation function or some other function of Air/Earpods has caused this disturbing ringing in my left ear most heavily, but I experience it in both ears. I had my ears checked by an audiologist and an ENT. No wax build up or structural deformities. I presume the hairs or some other auditory function has been damaged by Airpod use, which I believe has fully caused my tinnitus, after longterm use of both Earpods and AirpPods. Still no change in my tinnitus after I stopped using both for more than three months so far.

Replying to this thread to say I am having the same issue. In disbelief finding this thread.

I have never had tinnitus (at least that I’ve noticed) until I started using AirPods Pro.

I got the Pros approx 2 months ago, using them on and off. I am very conscientious of my volume levels, using the accessibility feature on my phone to monitor dB levels. I wear high end earplugs when I go to concerts.

Roughly two weeks ago, I started using my Pros as earplugs at night for loud footfalls in the apartment above me. I found them most effective with white noise playing at a low volume (50-60dB) and ANC on.

Several days ago I noticed the ringing. Predominately as a pitch so high that it almost registered as a sensation and not so much a sound. Sounds like roughly 13.5 kHz. Left ear has a much more predominant, lower ring, probably around 5kHz.

I spent the past weekend miserable, trying to block out the sound and distract myself. I did not use headphones because I was worried about making it worse, and tried to avoid loud sounds. It seemed to improve over the course of 72 hours or so.

A couple days ago I worked out with my AirPods Pro and sure enough, later that night the ringing was back louder than ever. Almost oppressively, deafeningly loud while trying to sleep, it kept me up almost all night, only getting a couple hours of sleep. Absolutely terrible - incredibly distressing. That is when I made the connection.

I googled and that is what brought me here. I am shocked to see so many people with the same issue.

It sounds crazy but I do think it’s related to the AirPod Pros. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD1 over ear headphones that I have never had an issue with, as well as other headphones I’ve used in the past.

Never a problem until the Pros.

I am now 48 hours out from

last using the AirPod Pros and things are quiet today. The ringing is still there, but seems to be fading. It’s a good day today!

Can’t explain it, and it sounds bizarre, but the Pros are to blame IMO.

Nothing omg

It took about a week for me with zero use.