Headphones that hurt your ears, what to do?

While you want to have a good time playing your favorite video game or listening to music, persistent pain in your ears is stopping you? This problem is not to be taken lightly. Indeed, depending on the origin of the problem, it can sometimes, in the long term, have more significant consequences on your health: migraine, hearing loss, persistent pain, etc. So, find out why your headphones are hurting your ears? What can be the different origins? And how solve the problem?

Why do headphones hurt my ears?

When your headphones hurt your ears, it is important to distinguish between two pains: Physical pain that comes from the pressure of the helmet ou auditory (or acoustic) pain that comes from sound. Indeed, the solutions to be adopted will in no way be similar since the origin and the consequences are not similar. Learn how to identify them. by reading the few lines below:

Hearing pain: Headphone sound that hurts

At first, it may be that your headphones are hurting your ears because the sound is not adapted to your sensitivity. Of course, it is necessary to remember that you should never put the sound of your headphones too loud, otherwise you will have pain or hearing loss.

However, another lesser-known phenomenon exists that can also cause you ear pain. In effect, each headset has different sound frequencies. And some are just not suitable for your ear and can cause you pain. The ear can sometimes get used to after several uses, however if the discomfort or pain persists, it is better to change headphones to avoid hearing problems. This problem is therefore a matter of sensitivity to sound specific to each person: some headphones are perfectly suited to some people, while they will be unbearable for others.

Si the problem persists with other headsets, it will then be necessary consult a doctor or ENT to determine if it is an acute sensitivity to noise or if you have a hearing problem.

Physical pain: pressure from the helmet that hurts

It may also be that your ears hurt with your helmet because of its shape which is not adapted to your morphology. Indeed, the ear is a sensitive part of the body where muscle and bone are covered by a very thin layer of skin. In case of pressing too hard or too long on this part, the nerves present at the level of the neuromuscular junction can be impacted and create unpleasant pain. In this case, the problem may come from a headset:

• incorrectly adjusted in terms of height or tightening
• unsuitable for your morphology
• badly made

Note that a face is never perfectly symmetrical and therefore it is common to have one ear slightly larger than the other. In this case, it may be that your headset is hurting your ear, while the other supports it very well. This problem can sometimes be solved simply by readjusting the height or tightening of the helmet.

How to recognize if it is an auditory or physical pain?

To determine if the problem comes from the shape of the helmet and therefore from physical pain, or from the sound and therefore from hearing pain, nothing's easier. Simply put the headset on the ears without turning it on and therefore without any music or sound.

• If your ears still hurt even without the headphones broadcasting sound, then there is no doubt that the problem comes from the shape of the latter which does not suit your morphology. In this case, tricks can sometimes manage to solve the problem.

• In the opposite case, if the pain only appears when the headphones play sound, then the problem comes from the headset sound signature. Then refer to the advice previously given on this problem.

Read also: Helmet that smells bad, what to do?

What to do when headphones hurt your ears?

If the helmet creates hearing pain for you as seen above, refer to the advice given in the previous section. If your helmet is giving you physical pain, then follow our advice in order to try to solve the problem.

First, note thatit is normal to have ear pain during the first uses of your headphones. Like shoes, headphones sometimes need to be made to fit perfectly to the shape of your ears. The ears also need time to adjust to the new pressure. Of course, if the pain persists or is too intense, it will be necessary to try toidentify the cause to solve the problem and avoid physical discomfort (headache, persistent earache, hearing loss, etc.). So, discover the solutions to try to solve your headphones problem that hurts your ears.

Adjust helmet height

First, try to adjust the height of the helmet differently so that it fits the shape of your ears better. First, adjust the helmet to the same height on both sides but attempt to adjust it higher, then lower if the pain persists.

Then, if you have pain in only one ear, try raising only the painful side, then lowering it slightly. If nothing helps, the problem may be due to the tightening or that the helmet does not suit your body type.

Adjust the tightness of the headphones

Given that earache usually occurs due to too much pressure exerted by the helmet, you can try to act on helmet tightening to make it more comfortable. On some helmets, you can tighten or loosen the pressure of the helmet. If your helmet does not have a clamping system, then you can try a trick that allows you to soften and loosen the headband slightly without risking breaking it:

1. Take a box or a stack of objects, books or video games to obtain a length of approximately 15 centimeters (as pictured below)
2. Put on the helmet on either side of the length so that the arch widens little by little
3. Leave the helmet positioned like this for about 7 days so that the plastic has time to relax

Afterwards, your helmet should have softened slightly, which in most cases is enough to reduce pressure on the ears and therefore reduce pain. If it worked, remember to reposition it regularly on the box or the object of a length of 15 cm so that it maintains the shape.

Warning: if your helmet is still under warranty, it is best to avoid deforming it, which could cause your rights to be lost. In this case, we advise you to operate your warranty instead.

Replace the pads of your headphones that hurt your ears

Although the pressure and therefore the tightening of the helmet is often the element responsible for the earache you experience, it is also possible that the pads do not help to improve your comfort. Indeed, some are harder and thicker than others.

You can then try to replace the pads of your helmet (if they are removable) by foam pads plus soft, padded or even shape memory and therefore more comfortable. If the helmet serves you too much, opt for soft but thinner to reduce pressure on your ears. One centimeter less can sometimes simply remove the pain!

Try another headset

It may be that the problem does not come from your helmet, but simply from the morphology of your face or from a particular sensitivity which is not suitable for helmets. In this case, any headphones will hurt your ears. To confirm this hypothesis, then try several helmets, other brands, and different designs.

If by testing others, the pain reappears, it is better to opt for another listening solution: headphones, neckband headphones, or speakers. You can also consult a doctor or an ENT to see if the sensitivity is not related to a medical problem, probably benign but annoying.

Replace helmet

Si the headset that hurts your ears is still under warranty (2 years minimum in France), ask to have it refunded or exchanged with the retailer or the manufacturer's after-sales service. Check the terms of exchange or refund carefully to avoid being cheated, although pain or discomfort caused by a product is generally a reason for the warranty to work.

Note that it can also be a manufacturing defect on your helmet and that another helmet of the same model can then correspond perfectly well to you. To choose your future helmet, we recommend that you go to a physical store and test it well before buying it. You should quickly see if the helmet is adapted to your morphology, or if by putting it on you quickly feel discomfort which could turn into an earache.

What headphones to choose to avoid earache?

It exists two types of headphones which are distinguished by their modes of wearing:

• The on-ear headphones are lighter, smaller and rest on your ears
• over-ear headphones are larger, heavier, better at isolating noise and surround your ears

But then, what about in terms of comfort? Over-ear headphones press on your ears, so they tend to hurt more than over-ear headphones, which turn out to be designed not to press on your ears and therefore respond primarily to a need for comfort. It is better to go for over-ear headphones to avoid too much pressure on the ears. However, like any rule there are exceptions. Some do not support the pressure exerted on the parts that surround the ear. The best thing is once again to try the different types of helmet to see which one suits you best.

Urban artist preferably choose a helmet with a soft headband and soft, memory foam and/or padded earpads. Once again, it is better to try it because a comfortable helmet for one individual will not necessarily be so for another individual. Although the helmets are made to be as universal as possible, it is important to choose one that best suits your own morphology and therefore your own feelings.

If the pain is too bothersome with any helmet, you can also opt for a neck helmet.

Do not hesitate to look at guides on the internet or to ask for advice in store to help you because some helmets are still known to be comfortable for the vast majority of users.