Bone Conduction Headphones (Aftershokz, etc.) — Reviews from Tinnitus Patients?

Has anyone used bone conduction headphones?

I have an ear infection, swollen eardrum, driving me nuts that I can't hear in one ear. So I want some distraction and bone conduction seems the only way to go to get some sound equally to both ears.

Amazon only seem to have the Aftershokz, any experiences, are they any good?

Steve

 

I didn't even know that was a thing. Sounds pretty cool. Sorry to hear about the ear infection, hope you feel better soon!

 

Thanks, hearing isn't much fun in mono.

They do look pretty cool, think I'll get a pair tomorrow and see what they're like. I just came across them by chance a couple of days ago.

 

They can be pretty decent, but high levels of bone conducted sound is still high levels of sound. So be careful! I hope your ear infection clears up. Get better soon man, take it easy.

 

Thanks, got some antibiotics yesterday (second time in my life I've ever taken them) so should be fixed up soon.. I was looking at a few things about the bone conduction, not saving your hearing at all just a different way of listening.

Could be excellent for masking tracks depending on the frequency response - as usual it states 20 Hz-20 kHz, but that means nothing. It's all about how they reproduce the sound when you get them on.

 

Do you recommend the headphones? Did they help you mask the tinnitus?

 

Recently I have been using the Aftershokz, they are okay, the sound quality is not bad I guess, kind of hard to tell with my hearing.

I listen to them while I watch TV, I have insect sounds running which take the edge off the tinnitus a bit without impeding the ear canal. I can still hear the TV quite well. There is some sound leakage, you are not only listening through bone conduction but picking up on the leakage through the open ear canal. If you plug your ears they actually sound fuller and cleaner but I guess this is not really the point of the design.

It would be nice if there was a balance control as my right ear has a lot more hearing loss. Maybe this is on my iPhone and I haven't looked hard enough? Or maybe it's in the myNoise app that I'm running.

Overall not bad, but not as good as I was hoping.

 

I am using the Aftershokz Trekz Titanium now. It does a good job of letting ambient sound in while listening. I do find there is quite a pressure on the side of the head after listening for a while.

I did try a very quiet room with these things on and played my trusty cricket sounds which did a fantastic job of masking in a very quiet environment. I would recommend these for someone who has to spend a lot of time in quiet environments, hasn't quiet adjusted to their tinnitus and needs a fairly unobtrusive way of taking the edge off.

 

Didn't even know these were a thing. Has anyone with tinnitus used these for music? I miss listening to music so terribly and these seem like a good option.

Has anyone used these and not have an issue?

***Not interested in any "DON'T USE HEADPHONES arguments or answers.***

I want to know specifically if anyone has used bone conduction headphones and if they have had any issues with bone conduction headphones.

Your insight and support is as valuable to me as water!!

 

I never heard of the bone conduction headphones. I just use my bose noise canceling headphones.

Here is a rather interesting article though there are comments below and one guy wrote he could use ear plugs while using them:

https://www.theverge.com/2016/10/24/13383616/bone-conduction-headphones-best-pair-aftershokz

 

I had a go at bone conduction headphones, didn't get on with them, played havoc with my tinnitus.

 

That is what I would think mcgregor.

The constant vibration feeling would make me think about the dreaded dentist drill.

It would be interesting to hear how other tinnitus/hyperacusis people have experienced bone conduction headphones.

 

Does anyone use these? How do they work with tinnitus?

I wear my earbuds to listen to music so I can fall asleep (insomnia plus tinnitus) but I think they aren't helping with the moisture/wax issue I also have going on.

I use Logitech gaming headset at my PC but can't wear them to bed. Not even sure I can wear the conduction ones but gotta start somewhere in my research.

Much thanks!

 

pillow speakers would work better for sleep.

Love glynis

 

I asked this awhile ago and specifically asked for people to spare me their "headphones are bad" and really specifically mentioned that I wanted to know about bone conduction headphones

Everyone told me headphones are bad mm'kay

 

I don't see a problem with them on the lowest setting and gaming headsets on low and not for long periods.
my view.
Love glynis

 

From reading your post, I wanted to know if making foam inserts for my headset, would make them safer to use?
TinA#7oct

 

@PaulaO

If your tinnitus was caused by exposure to "loud noise" then I advise that you don't use any form of headphones even at low volume, and including bone conduction types. If your tinnitus wasn't caused by loud noise I advise that you use them with caution. Wearing headphones in bed to sleep I feel isn't a good idea. Better to use a standalone device such as a "sound machine" to deliver sound enrichment throughout the night.

Please go to my "started threads" and read my post: Tinnitus, A Personal View. More information is given on headphones and tinnitus.

Michael

PS: Since you want to research this matter. There are plenty posts written in this forum from people, that regret using headphones even at low volume, because they have made the tinnitus worse. This mostly affects people with "noise induced" tinnitus.

 

Just like regular headphones. What are you wondering about?

 

I think the belief was bone conductive was easier on the ear in general. Not sure how to quantify that...

 

Why would it be? It's perhaps easier on the outer & middle ear (since they are bypassed), but I think most people in here are more concerned about the cochlea.

 

I agree. I use them for notch therapy though. Etc

 

I wish they'd bring back a very early version of this concept, the Bone Fone (released 1979), but in a modernized version. Bone Fone, which contained a radio receiver, draped over the shoulders, not near the ears.

 

I am looking into them as I would rather not cover my ears or put a plug in them. I like the listen to music and with the tinnitus, I am having difficulty hearing the music through speakers.

 

Thank you for your answer. I appreciate it. No, my tinnitus is not caused by loud noise although it can cause spikes in intensity. My partner would rather I not play music or sound (pink noise makes the ringing and roar go away) aloud at night which is why I use a single ear bud. I would have to play it rather loud to hear it without the ear bud.

 

I think you will have the same difficulty with bone conduction headphones. Your T stimulus gets generated past the cochlea in the hearing pipeline, so I don't really think it matters whether the hair cells are activated via air conduction (ear drum -> ossicles -> cochlea) or bone conduction.

 

You are welcome. My advice on playing music directly into the ear and the use of bone conduction headphones is still the same for people with "noise induced tinnitus". Since your tinnitus wasn't caused by this but you still have "spikes" I advise to proceed with caution. Playing music through an earbud directly into the ear in my opinion is risky. You could try using a pillow speaker and there are various types available that will give you privacy and won't disturb your partner.

It might be a good idea to have some hearing tests done at ENT just to make sure your auditory system is working correctly and you have no hearing impairment. Please be careful because tinnitus can be very unforgiving if it regularly spikes due to sound irritation. Under such circumstances, the tinnitus can spike and remain permanent.

I wish you well.
Michael

 

Using headphones is not risky if you keep the volume low enough.

 

I am going to muddle this, but an audiologist mentioned to me how sound travels into the cochlea. That the location of 4k (the base of the first curve) is a particular spot where it is believed that sound essentially hits the hardest before traveling through the rest of the cochlea.

If that is true, would bone conduction headphones avoid this?