Is White Noise Harmful in the Long Term?

Hello Guys,

I am almost a year now into tinnitus and have been using white noise to help me sleep.

I am wondering if white noise will be harmful for long-term use.

I have read an article that white noise can expedite ageing of the brain and might worsen the existing tinnitus.

Anyone here who have been using white noise for a couple of years now?
What is your experience?

Thank you in advance.

Warm regards,
Albert

 

https://gizmodo.com/study-claims-white-noise-can-damage-your-brain-but-don-1828804061

Looks like WN is pretty controversial. I don't use it personally, but think it should be individualized as others find it useful to go to sleep.

 

Hello, @Digital Doc!
I might need to start using nature sounds or at least alternate them with white noise.
My tinnitus has been manageable lately that I would like to wean off from using white noise as much as possible.


Warm regards,
Albert

 

@AlbertJ

When I listened to WN at night, I found it helped me of to sleep as it was a good distraction. However, the T was louder in the AM for me. The WN was only at about 65 db. This was reproducible multiple times, and I switched to ear plugs at night.

 

If it's the article I am thinking, I brought this up with a prominent tinnitus doctor and he was not impressed with the article and suggested that its results may have been skewed for commercial reasons and the paper was highly flawed.

 

Hello @Watasha.
I would think so, too. Many, many people wear in-ear plugs that play white noise to suppress tinnitus.

 

For what it counts, I am pretty sure that my tinnitus was caused by the prolonged listening of low level white noise through NC headphones.

 

If low volume white noise can distract the mind from focusing on tinnitus to allow for meaningful sleep, I say go for it! Not sure about using ear buds or noise canceling headphones for that. You can buy a machine at a place like Bed, Bath and Beyond for as little as $30 that can sit on your night stand or you can stream to a bluetooth speaker nearby. But after many years of tinnitus I can tell you it never goes away. You just pay less attention to it so it fades away and when you do hear it you don’t get so bothered by it, even when it’s loud in the quiet of night. I haven’t pulled out my white noise machine in years and even if I did, it wouldn’t drown out my snoring wife and dog next to me!

 

I use an air cleaner in our bedroom that puts out a soothing noise. Helps me sleep. No issues for me I think.