Need Advice on Noise-Cancelling Bose Headphones

Hello,

Please, my companions in tinnitus suffering, advice me with this:

I need urgent advice, because I'm here with a new tinnitus spike.

I want advice about noise cancelling BOSE headphones.

Tell me please, did you use them? And if yes, which ones are better to choose, over the ear or in ear?

I need them to protect me from street noises, metro, trains, airplanes.

Thank you very much!!

 

HI @July23

You haven't said what originally caused your tinnitus? I do not recommend any form of headphones to be worn with audio playing through them for someone that has had "noise induced tinnitus". If your ears/auditory system is sensitive to sound then this needs to be treated. Wearing earplugs, earmuffs or headphones that reduce outside environmental sounds is not the answer, as you are treating a symptom and not the cause. Ideally, you should be seen at ENT for tests and then referred to a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist whose trained in the treatment and management of tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Please click on the link below and read my articles that you might find helpful. Tinnitus, A Personal View. Hyperacusis, As I see It.

All the best
Michael
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

 

Michael,

Thank you for your promt response.

I have tinnitus from 2009, seems that it is from noise induced trauma
I've bee to a lot of ENTs, included Frankfurt and London |TRT specialists.
Now, even if I never expound myself to loud noises never from 2009, i have a new spike, my ears are screaming awful very high pitch sound, like a screech, again.
i need the BOSE noise cancelling technology to protect my ears on the street, not for the music. I never play music in my ears.
You think it is better not to?

Thank you,
Adina

 

Hi @July23

Please follow the advice that I have mentioned in my post: Hyperacusis, As I see it. I would suggest that you use "noise reducing earplugs" that have filters in as they are more discrete than noise reducing headphones. Noise reducing earplugs are available in different attenuation strengths, and will suppress external sounds. These should be used temporarily not intended for long term use. More information is in my post.

I am surprised that you have been to tinnitus specialists for treatment and they haven't helped you? I'm my opinion the wearing of Two white noise generators with tinnitus counselling would cure your hyperacusis. May I ask what form of treatment was offered to you at the tinnitus clinics that you attended?

Michael

 

Yes I use them regularly.

I don't know the answer to that as I've only tried the "over the ear" type that I have.
I appreciate that they let me listen to music and tinnitus sound therapy without having to crank the volume to compete with external sounds.

You'll find people in here with a bit of a dogmatic approach to headphone usage. I suggest you talk to professionals and make up your mind about them, like I did.

Good luck.

 

I found Peltor X5A muffs to be more effective at noise reduction than my Bose 35 headphones. Peltor muffs are cheaper. The downside is that they draw more attention when you wear them in public and they are less comfortable. Bose 35 are good, but they target mostly steady sounds with low frequency. They are perfect for an airplane or a car on a highway. Peltor reduce the volume of all frequencies. I plan to wear Peltor during takeoff (as that is the loudest time on a plane, and Peltor are better at sound reduction), and then wear Bose 35 at cruising altitude (as they are more comfortable).

 

I have "over ear" ones. I think "over ear" are better, as you can wear ear plugs under them, providing you with another 5 dB noise reduction (which is a lot). In fact, some people on this forum had expressed concern about Bose 35 Causing T. Others pointed out that there is no scientific explanation for this at all. (Search this site to see the relevant threads.) I wear ear plugs when I wear Bose headphones, so I am not worried about Bose somehow harming my ears.

 

I use Bose QuietComfort 20 everyday for atleast 4 hrs. I use for phone calls and music at very minimum level. I dont have any problem. Tinnitus since Dec 2016, I have been using bose since Jan 2017.

 

@Bill Bauer. What earplugs do you wear under your Bose headphones?

 

My plugs of choice are
https://www.amazon.com/3M-1100-Foam-Plugs-200-Pair/dp/B008MVYL7C/

 

Thank you.

 

Hi there,
Need advice re noise cancelling headphones. I am concerned that they emit a sound frequency to cancel external sound. Is there any harm to an already compromised limbic system in the brain.
Thank you

Susi

 

HI Susi,

We have spoken a while back but can't remember what caused your tinnitus. If it was caused by "loud noise" I strongly advise you not to listen to any type of audio through headphones and this includes noise cancelling. I still advise caution to people using headphones whose tinnitus wasn't noise induced.

All the best
Michael

 

In theory, the sound frequency produced by Bose headphone cancels out the frequencies in your environment, and as a result there are fewer sound waves reaching your inner ear. You can wear ear plugs underneath Bose headphones, if you are worried about it. Note that these headphones allow you to turn on noise cancelling even when they are not connected to anything. So you don't have to be listening to music in order for Bose headphones to reduce the noise around you.

 

In my opinion still not a good idea as suppressing normal every day sounds with such devices or the overuse of earplugs, lowers the loudness threshold of the auditory system and makes it worse increasing hypersensitivity. If hyperacusis is present will certainly make the condition more acute.

Michael

 

I wouldn't use these headphones in a regular environment. They were designed to work well in an airplane. They also work well in a car on a highway. I would recommend these headphones to be used in those environments.

 

I respect your recommendations but don't fully agree with them as I believe, if used long term can cause more harm than good. However, short term use they may have some benefit.

 

I can't imagine that with screeching tinnitus I can use any plug or headphones, because the occlusion effect makes the T 10 times louder (at least with me).

 

They emit sounds that create a destructive interference with the external sound, resulting in less sound hitting your ear (hence the term "noise cancelling").
I use them regularly and appreciate that they allow me to listen to music at low volumes, as I don't need to crank up the volume to compete with external noises: the noise cancelling system does that for me.
There's a few people that are dogmatic about headphone use. I suggest you get advice from professionals like I did, because the internet has a lot of well intentioned people, but they are not always on the top shelf of rationality.
Good luck!

 

I have the cheap sony head phones( noise canceling)

I think they only block 5 decibles with the noise canceling feature, but it seems like a big difference, especially in a plane.

I believe they are $50 though i wouldn't use any noise canceling headphones for serious hearing protection, sometimes i cut in half those white silicone ear plugs and fit them snug inside my ear, and then use the noise canceling head phones over them, the full legth plug is 29db rated i believe, so cut in half not as much but not half the rating, because the full plugs never go all the way in the ear anyways, and that adds protection and is almost not visible to others. Just make sure to only use them a few days before replacing. Most of the time they are not needed, but sometimes i sleep with one in the ear facing away from the pillow, this helps not feel trapped inside the head, but i miss sleeping on my back.
Also don't get too use to wearing them or hearing protection all the time, that is how hyperacustics is created.

Best of luck

 

I protect my ears whenever I am outside of my home. I had H back when I adopted that policy, and my H kept getting better until it was gone. I still protect my ears whenever I am outside.

 

I am returning a set of Bose Quiet Comfort 25's due to my tinnitus being much worse (to the point that I actually feel it now) after trying them out for 3 days. I had hoped that I would be one of the ones helped by them.

 

i need the BOSE noise cancelling technology to protect my ears on the street, not for the music. I never play music in my ears.
You think it is better not to?
It's an expensive way to block out noise! Or do you play talk audio?