Can Noise-Cancelling Headphones Help Tinnitus and Prevent Hearing Loss?

Hello all, I hope all of you are doing well. Since I am fairly new to tinnitus, I guess this will be the first question I will ask.

I was wondering about your thoughts on noise-canceling headphones and whether or not they can help tinnitus and prevent hearing loss?

Although my tinnitus frequency is not as loud, I can still hear it and it is a bit annoying to me. My mother is always so concerned about me and I always tell her that it just keeps on going and it does not stop.

When I tried habituating, it seemed to work for me, but ever since I have had a minor spike, I am starting to worry once again. I am unsure if it is from the Tylenol I have taken because I only took it 4 times over the course of January and took only under 1000 mg.

I live in an urban environment, so I have to take trains every day to school and you know the sound that trains make when they stop on the tracks... yeah... that is pretty concerning for my hearing.

I am open to any ideas

 

Noise-canceling headphones works poorly against high-pitched noise.

Foam earplugs, if correctly inserted (google for instructions), is the best hearing protection on planet Earth. Use them when you are exposed to those train brakes or other kind of loud noises.

You want to protect your hearing, or your tinnitus might get worse.

 

When my tinnitus first started, noise-cancellation seemed to aggravate it.

I wouldn't worry about the Tylenol. It should be generally safe, but always monitor your tinnitus reaction to any medication you take. Always start with the smallest dose possible and pay attention to its effects on your tinnitus. You can slowly increase your dosage once you determine it is safe.

Noise-cancellation doesn't give a very broad protection against the full spectrum of sound. I would recommend earplugs when around trains. Depending on where you live, pharmacies around you may carry foam and attenuated musicians earplugs. I suggest picking up foam earplugs for the train. You can experiment with musicians earplugs as well. There are many different kinds with differing levels of protection.

You are very early on with tinnitus, and it will be quite unstable for you in the beginning. Don't panic about it changing. It's going to take time for it to stabilize. I'm 16 months in, and mine is still all over the place.

Yours developed from an ear infection? I've seen a lot of people on the forum have their tinnitus completely resolve many months after ear infections. In time yours may start to fade as well.

 

I will consider that option. I do not go to loud concerts or even listen to music at a really high volume. I guess I can also cover my ears whenever the train puts on the breaks. Plus my tinnitus is not that unbearable, so as long as I take care and be more aware of my surroundings by avoiding loud noises, I will be ok.

 

Ty for replying. As for the ear infection issue, I am unsure if my tinnitus is permanent. But the next time I went to my PCP, he checked my eardrum and said that there are 2 holes in it. And he said to keep on using the Cortisporin Otic solution to prevent any further infections from happening. But from what I researched, you can not use that solution if you have a ruptured eardrum, so the antibiotics may have gone into the inner ear...

As for Tylenol, I do not use it that often, but I realized a minor spike in my tinnitus. Perhaps maybe it is not from that, maybe it is from something else. Who knows? I will just limit myself to 1 Tylenol if I really need it. Also, earplugs seem to be a better option, I will try that out.

I am also a hypochondriac as well and a pretty anxious person as well, so I will try my best to stay calm.

 

Yes there is risk of ototoxicity using Neomycin drops with a perforated eardrum. A perforated eardrum can also cause tinnitus. I believe it could resolve once the eardrum heals, but I'm not 100% positive on this.

 

My experience is that a quiet lifestyle isn't always enough. Sooner or later, there are unfortunate incidents: car alarms, fire alarms, burglar alarms, fireworks, popping balloons or something else. Using foam earplugs more or less always is the only protection that really works. (Pretty paranoid, I know).

You can take a notice of my advice for future reference. If you suffer a couple of setbacks and decide enough is enough, then you will know what to do.

 

I guess that depends how damaged one's ears already are.

@ownagealan is pretty young, so good chance that his ears are still in somehow good shape and avoiding loud events might be enough. However for anything that gives ear symptoms I would wear ear protection next time or avoid it altogether.

I myself am using hearing protection 24/7 and my hyperacusis has improved by doing that.

So probably everybody has to see what works for them.

 

How long have you had hyperacusis? I have thought about using hearing protection 24/7 but most of the “experts” advise against it because you will increase the sensitivity once the hearing protection is removed.

 

I have had it since 2019. Yes, maybe this makes the hearing more sensitive, but you can also slowly taper off of the hearing protection if you feel your ears have gotten enough rest. I find this comparison of noise induced ear damage to the broken leg quite good. If your leg is broken you also stop doing marathons. And if some sounds give you straight up burning ear pain you have a very healthy fear of sound I would say.