Can Headphones Hurt My Head?
Headphones can be a real pain to have to deal with. The constant whirring of the tiny speakers can drive anyone crazy. Thankfully, there are several ways to ease off the annoying, irritating problem of headphones hurting your ears. If you’re one of those that constantly struggle with headphones bleeding their ears out, fear not!
When choosing your next pair of headphones, be sure to choose a set that matches your ear canal. Some headphones are designed to be worn over the top of your head for maximum comfort ability; others are designed to go around your neck and sit just at the side of your head. The perfect pair of headphones should be comfortable from the first listen, so be sure to find the right fit for you!
Many headphones are prone to causing pain due to clamping force. This force is often created by the rotating clasps used to fasten the headphones to the ear. While there is nothing you can do to prevent clashing sounds between the headphones and your ears, you can greatly reduce the amount of force used when fastening your headphones. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your ears are about 8 inches from the clamps when fastening, and half that distance when clamping.
Another common problem for many is an earpiece that is too large. Although most people do experience this at some point in time, it’s not a common occurrence for everyone. Usually the larger the head size, the larger the ear piece needs to be. However, regardless of a large or small ear piece, most comfortableness issues are caused by either the wires not being too long (which will also lead to poor ear comfort) or the wire wrapping around the back of the ear causing a “crunched-in” feeling. Smaller ear pieces generally fit better than larger ones.
If headphones hurt the top of my head, it could have something to do with the ear cartilage. Ear cartilage is the stiff tissue that surrounds each ear. When something presses on this tissue, like when you’re listening to headphones, it can produce a clicking or a creaking sound. Ear cartilage can also become damaged over prolonged exposure to sound, so if you notice a serious cracking of this tissue while listening to headphones at high volumes, it’s probably time to replace them.
Finally, if headphones hurt the top of my head, it may cause damage to the hair near the back of the ears. The hair is called “adhesive” hair and if the headphone makes contact with the head, it may cause damage. The best way to avoid this is to wash your hair after each shower and use an old towel to dry it. If you must use headphones while working out, try to find a set that doesn’t have a headband. Headphones made of a hard material, such as leather, are harder to grip and may cause pain to your ears if they clog your ears.