AirPods causing tinnitus?

I'm a physician, and before quarantine, I used my Airpods maybe an hour a day. Since quarantine, I've been using my Airpod Pros almost all day, mostly for phone calls and zoom meetings, at a normal volume. A few weeks ago I started to feel like I was losing my hearing on one side, and eventually noticed that the more I used my Airpods, the worse my hearing was. Today, since this morning I was already having problems hearing from the left side, I thought I'd just just the left Airpod. Tonight, the ringing (tinnitus) on the left is so bad I can barely think straight. I'm going to take a two week strict break from the Airpods and see what happens. They're definitely connected in my opinion, but that doesn't mean Apple knows better and isn't telling people.

Don’t want to alarm you. I bought mine, two weeks later I started getting severe tinnitus. I stopped using them right away. Sadly, it’s been 4 months and the ringing still persists. I saw a specialist, and have no hearing loss, but the ringing is bad. I engaged Apple with no success. These things are dangerous. My stepson got some, he’s 15, and now he is having the same issue. He’s getting rid of them.

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I agree there should be restitution. I only use mine sparingly and for short periods only. My ringing slowly faded after a week of not using them at all. I feel very lucky based on other comments in this thread. It was after two days of first using them for video editing that the tinnitus began. I love Apple products but this one is terribly flawed and potentially a health hazard, in my opinion. Customers should be granted a full refund for the product if they choose, even after the return grace period.

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I want to make sure you reach the right team for help with your AirPods. I recommend that you contact Apple Support directly. Depending on your region, you may be able to reach them here: Contact Apple Support

I too noticed a correlation between tinnitus and using AirPod Pros. Not sure I'd say Apple is negligent in that noise cancelling technology is fairly commonly used and accepted in the art. Probably not everyone is susceptible but some of us seem to be and probably more of us with prolonged use. I don't think the correlation of noise cancelling technology to tinnitus is well understood, including by ENT specialists, and needs study. Sharing information on forums like this seems like a good start to bringing this problem to people's attention.

i experienced tinnitus issues with only using the regular AirPods - not the pro version. I think it has to do with a sensor or high pitch frequency in the device because they are wireless. When I use regular wired ear buds I didn’t experience any issues.

I’ve used original AirPods for a couple of years. Love them. Decided to upgrade to Pros. I am 70 and have had tinnitus for years. It lingers in the background and doesn’t typically bother me. Otherwise my hearing is quite good.

Immediately after using the Pros for the first time yesterday, my tinnitus seemed noticeably worse as has been noted by others.

I played around with them a bit more on my balcony this morning. I live in an urban area with moderate city noise.

The differences between ANC, Transparency and Off were dramatic and somewhat surreal. Then when I removed the Pros, the city sounds appeared much louder and more distinctive than usual.

I’m thinking the novel and altered auditory input may affect the processing of sound in the brain and thus our perception of what we hear.

It may be the heightened tinnitus is not physiological but mental.

Curious what others may think about this.

I started using the pods with noise cancellation mainly in the gym about a month ago and maybe 2 weeks ago I noticed a constant ringing in my ears.

I hadn't made the connection until my girlfriend said something about hearing damage she'd read.

Coincidence maybe but I'll stop using them and see what happens.

Try hearing instruments (aka aides) - even if you do not wish to look 'old', today's technology is beneficial to helping the internal nerve endings from ringing. Hearing instruments help relieve tinnitus and give back your full range of hearing frequencies. That is my experience.

If one studies tinnitus just briefly, it can range from mild ringing to loud crickets. No one wants that for the long term.

One more thought: We all need to turn down the volume.

I have the same problem. Left ear mainly. Apple Airpod Pro. Previously acquired tinnitus has got a lot worse with extensive usage at moderate volume (voice only - hardly ever any music as they are crap for that). Be warned of this product. I have stopped using.

I got AirPod Pros a couple of weeks ago. I have experienced the same thing all others are reporting. Tinnitus in my right ear commencing at the same time I started using the AirPod Pros. When I first put them on I had an experience of the way the NC worked as feeling unusual and different, some sort of unique in ear pressure is the way I'd describe it. I feel strongly that the NC is doing something to cause Tinnitus.

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I’ve had the same issue since April with ringing when I played music on my AirPods to dancersize to relieve pandemic stress. I didn’t think the music was all that loud. Two days afterwards upon awakening I noticed a high pitched ringing in both ears but the left one was louder. This was so upsetting as I’m a vocalist and drummer and have always used ear protection when performing and I’ve never had an issue before. So this has been a real anathema to me.

But my research shows that T is curable as there are many that have had noise trauma and come out if it using certain healing methods. As a result of this noise trauma I no longer use AirPods. Since I’ve stopped using them I’ve been experiencing small moments of silence which is hopeful especially during relaxation or meditation. I can’t publish any of my own findings on healing here due to Apples policies. Just do your research. I’m hoping Apple will find a way to address this situation as this certainly is a health hazard and very debilitating to ones’s health and welfare.

I had similar experience with my airpods and i started noticing the sounds in my bedroom and closet and bathroom. I thought it was my neighbor with a muffled speaker playing music for weeks and even asked them about it. I went outside to hear the sounds thinking it was some far off low frequency noise. One day I was in my car and it was very quiet since I was at a park. And I heard the exact same noise. It was then I had to start reframing this idea of the source of the sound was INTERNAL not EXTERNAL. Now it makes total sense the noise was in my right ear and I could only hear it in silent areas of my house. And it was very persistent. And sometimes two frequencies were there and sometimes it was chaotic. with a intermittence of silence for a few seconds. this has gone on for six months. Now it has become more faint but I know its there and sometimes I think it stopped and I wait to see if its gone and eventually it starts again on some random intermittent cycle. I lost my airpods and it almost feels like fate taking them away from me because I was still using them for exercise only and not all the time like before. Now I am airpod free and I have moved on from the idea of having these things in my ear. I will wear regular headphones if I ever need to use them again. I am hopeful this sound in my ear will eventually fade out...

My research shows it’s the electrical/ microwave signal interfering with the electrical signal ie neural pathways in the brain. The brain goes into fight or flight mode because it’s been disrupted. Stress Relaxation techniques, diet change and supplementation can help heal. Also stopping the use of AirPods will stop any further damage. See my previous comments.

It took several weeks of my avoiding using any form of headphone or airpod, before it started to ease off. Although it has eased off, it has not gone away completely. Sometimes, when I am sitting quietly, or lying in bed, I can hear it again, although it is not as loud as before. I don't know why, but I find that lying on my left side, when in bed, reduces it. And deep breathing exercises do help, if I have trouble getting off to sleep. During the day time, when I am moving about, I am hardly ever aware of it. I make sure I get plenty of exercise and fresh air, and, apart from doing a few stretches at home, I go for a walk every day, no matter what the weather is like. Have got my annual appointment with the audiologist in a few weeks time, so it will be interesting to find out if there have been any physical changes.