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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

tinnitus and headphone use?

Posted By: Chris on 2008-01-11
In Reply to:

Has anyone had progressive tinnitus during their career while using headphones?  I would like to know if anyone out there has had increasing tinnitus, ear fullness, ear pain, slight loss of hearing, dizziness, or even diagnosed with Meniere's disease during their career?  If so, how are you dealing with it? What precautions are you using now to prevent further damage?  Thanks in advance!  


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headphone
I do not use the noise cancelling ones and I have not had any problems. I don't even see a brand name on 'em - my employer provided them!

GOOD LUCK!
Headphone question

I posted on technical board, but this seems to be a more populated place.



I have an external sound blaster box with plug in for headphone, speakers with plug in for headphone.  When I put headphones into either one of these, the sound still just comes out of the speakers.  What the heck am I doing wrong? 



TIA


 


headphone recommendations?

I am currently using the Koss Plug.  I like how they block the noise but the design of them is hurting my right ear a bit, and I have not been able to adjust the bass well enough on my pc to fix the sound to my liking.


Can anyone recommend a decent pair of headphones for under $70, or preferably under $50?  The $20 price tag on the Koss Plugs was great, especially since many people seem to like them - I will definitely keep them, but I just cannot use them 40 hours a week long term - ouch!  In the meantime, I will keep fiddling with how I put them in to see if I can relieve some of the discomfort.


Thanks!


Headphone suggestion
I bought some wireless headphones at Circuit City and they are awesome. No cord to get tangled up in and the sound is good. I also have an office that still uses STANDARD tapes, if you can believe that, and the sound quality was horrible with the regular headphones. I hooked it up to the wireless headphones and I could actually hear what they were saying! You have to work with them to get the right channel but it's not difficult at all. They have the big ear pads that cover the whole ear, which I think help a lot for sound quality as opposed to those little ear buds. The only thing I don't like about them is they have an auto shutoff feature so if there's no sound coming through them for a few minutes, they turn off and you get this big blast of loud white noise in your ear. lol If I had it to do over, I'd get some without that irritating feature but all in all, I really love them.

The ones I bought are Sennheiser and I think they are around $75. The Bose are great headphones but they are quite a bit more expensive. If you don't want to go wireless or don't want to spend that much, just look for the kind with the big ole ear pads that cover the whole ear. Circuit City carries some good inexpensive headphones, and you can read customer reviews on them on their website.
Headphone preference
I'm looking to purchase some new headphones and am not sure which ones to get.    Does anyone have a pair they really love??  Or really hate??  Do you prefer regular ones or noise cancelling??  Thanks!!!! 
Need noise reducing headphone help please!
I tried doing a search, but nothing came up.  I know this has been discussed here before.  Due to background noise in the house (TV and other things), I need to get a headset that blocks out this noise to I can hear my dictation.  I can't afford much, and was wondering what others are using.  The headset I use now is comfortable, but I can hear every little sound going on in the house and I'm losing my mind.  Thanks for the help!
Thank you for the Koss headphone recommendation sm
I had to get another pair because think my $45 pair is dying and I can't afford another pair...and 2 new keyboards, a new mouse, a space heater, a special MT pedal and some software this month.

I was at Wally's and they had one type of Koss headphones only costing $5 and I bought them. I really like them and they are quiet. They even came with an extra pair of padded foam thingys for the ear part.

So, to all who said try them, I have and many thanks.
opinions pls - which Bose headphone is best?

I am looking at Bose headphones on ebay and am trying to decide between the around the ear regular Bose's, versus the noise canceling around the ear versus noise canceling on the ear.  Anyone have these and can help me with my decision?? 


I have a pair of RCA cheaper (on the ear) phones now that are supposed to be noise canceling, but cannot really tell a big difference when I have it turned on and also notice a buzz in my ear when I do turn on the noise cancel option - any probs like this with the Bose's????  Thanks for your help. 


I use the stereo headphone type that cover - sm
your whole ear. My first set (Aiwa) cost about $30 and lasted about 3 years, second, bought an expensive ($130) noise-cancelling set (Sony). They lasted about 18 months and were not as comfortable and went bad (one side has a bad hum to it now and are unusable---cord pulled out from plug --I unplug them at least several times a day to listen through the speakers --helps me get words I cannot "hear", guess it could not handle that). Just got a set of Maxells for $35, also noise cancelling (don't use that option though), that are very comfortable, block out lots of noise and with any luck will last a long time. I may just go buy another set now so I have them for backup when the time comes, hopefully in 3-4 years. --So obviously it depends on the brand and how hard you are on them.
i do have stereo headphone that worked yesterday. nm
nm
Foot pedal turns off headphone

jack.  Speakers work fine.  If I reboot and don't use the pedal, the headphone works.  Any ideas?


Thanks


P.S. - Sharper Image also sells this same headphone for much more.sm
I should also mention that I recommended this headset to my team when I was supervising because the company-issued headsets were basically garbage. I had a lot of good reactions, but a few people didn't like "over-the-head" style because it smooshed their hair or it just wasn't the best one for them. Hearing is a very individual thing and what works for one might not work for another, but quite a few of my crew got these and most seemed to like them.

These Kensingtons fold for travel (a lot of people use them on airplanes), by the way, and you can use them with any other portable audio like a Walkman or iPod, so I think all my folks kept theirs even if they decided to use them for other things than transcribing due to the fact that it's so inexpensive.
Bose headphone Quiet Comfort 2 or 3 better?
Anyone tried both and have a preference?  Any positives or negatives (besides the outrageous price?)  I bought the Quiet Comfort 2 in the store after trying the demo model of the QC 3.  I thought the over the ear would be better for blocking noise, but I am not certain they are as good as the QC3 (on the ear).  I just want a pair of headphones that will block out my kids being home this summer, as I have to work in the dinning room corner and I hear everything.  Might try a different brand/model all together because for 300-350 dollars I am not the Bose are worth it.  Thanks for your input! 
tinnitus
There are various things you can try. First talk to your doctor. There are some medications you can try as well.

I've had tinnitus for years (Meniere's Syndrome).

I wish you a lot of luck!
tinnitus
try getting a background noise machine, white noise. it helps with trying to sleep. if you can't afford it try putting your radio not on a channel and just the static at low volume. sometimes this works. decrease aspirin as this causes it also.
tinnitus

Someone in my family went to the dr. this week for a flare-up. She was told to cut out salt and dairy (allergy) and was given a steroid Rx briefly which cut out the flareup within one day. It is awful, especially in this profession. I think the sulfites in wine cause a flare-up as well but wouldn't dare mention that.


Tinnitus
B complex vitamins helped me get rid of tinnitus.
I have tinnitus also, but only
in my left ear. I spoke with my Dr. about it, and unfortunately there isn't really anything you can do about it. I do know that taking a lot of Tylenol or aspirin on a daily basis can contribute to tinnitus. It's very annoying. Having some *white noise* in the background can help at night when you are trying to sleep and everything is quiet. That is when it is the worst for me because everything is so quiet. The tinnitus seems even louder and it makes it hard to get to sleep. Other than that, I don't really have any other suggestions. You may want to mention it to your doctor though next time you see him/her. They may recommend you see an ENT just to make sure there is no underlying problem that could be causing it.
Me, for one... and tinnitus. sm
Don't have the details of my testing in front of me, but I had high frequency loss that bumped me just out of what's considered low normal.

The bigger problem for me is the tinnitus. Drives me up a wall, and has done a number on this former musician's ability to enjoy listening to music. First I get CTS so I can't play my instruments, and then I have tinnitus. Sigh.
Tinnitus

I am going on 37 years as an MT and started having problems with a popping in my ears in 1996. It has improved some in the last year, but I still occasionally have problems and it can be painful. If I tip my head in a certain direction, that will sometimes relieve it. I have found that it will bother me when I lie down too, but stuffing some cotton in my ears helped so I could sleep. Interesting...  :)


 


Karen


tinnitus
I had this a couple of years ago. When my hearing started going, I went to my doctor who found a severe ear infection. I had no pain so didn't seek help before that. After a couple of rounds of antibiotics, I'm fine. I was very religious about cleaning my ears with hydrogen peroxide, Q-Tips, etc before that which might have even set me up for that infection. I resorted to a washcloth only and am back to normal. Good luck with this and hope your problem is no more severe than mine.
I use a cheap Koss headphone. They go behind your head and the ear pieces are
big, but don't cover the entire ear.  They are stereo with a volume control in-line.  They cost $20 or less at Wal-Mart and I have to replace about once a year because a wire breaks and I don't get stereo.  Any of bud ones hurt my ears. 
how do you transcribe with tinnitus?
due to the german measles. I've been transcribing for 15 years. Lately I have crinkle/pop sound in my good ear. I have thought about chronic use of my good ear and think I'll get an audiogram.
Tinnitus/earphones
I too have tinnitus, for years, in my left ear, diagnosed with TMJ. Had audiology test, loss of hearing, to low tones in my left ear, nothing really helps. Doctor and audiologist do believe it is from all of these years of earphones. Some days it is better than other days, but sometimes drives me crazy, with the loud hissing noise. I turn the earphones down, hate loud noise, hurts my left ear. I was thinking of trying something homeopathic soon to help it. Audiologist did advise a booster for the earphones that you plug into the speakers on computer, going to try that also. Hope this info helps you. I have had it about 7 years now, have been a Transcriptionist for 35 years now, so I do believe they are related to each other.
Sitting like this all day is so bad for us. Plus, tinnitus is no fun...(NM)
dd
all of the above, and tinnitus, depression. (nm)
.
Anyone know of a remedy or way to lessen tinnitus?


Hearing loss/tinnitus

I have been a MT for 19 years. I have started having a major problem with tinnitus lately.  I know it is directly related to working because it eases up some after a couple of days off.  At the end of my shift, the ringing much louder and I am very noise sensitive.  Normal "kid" noises (I have 3 of them) are painful, and I find myself very short with my kids and constantly telling them my ears hurt and to please be quieter. 


About 6 months ago I starting using JVC marshmallow earbuds like you would use with an IPOD.  These are great because they block out almost all background noise and the sound is crisp and clean. About 5 months ago I started editing VR reports, in which the dictation is greatly speeded up, making the tone of the doctors voices much higher pitched. I keep the volume as low as I possibly can. 


Has anyone ever experienced similar problems. I'm really becoming concerned I am doing permanent damage. I welcome any insight and suggestions. I am trying to go back to my "old-fashioned" headset and see if this helps.  Thanks!


 


Tinnitus and carpal tunnel....
....plus a rotten and distrustful attitude toward the industry. Man, I'm so grateful to be old and retired!
I have tinnitus, so I can either listen to people in the background or the "crickets" in my he
:(
Over 20 yrs as MT. Can't hear with any background noise, T.V. blares and have tinnitus. (nm)
dd
Same thing here. I have chronic tinnitus and hear crickets
when it gets really really acute with sinusitis to go with it. People think I am crazy when I tell them I hear crickets but that's what it sounds like.
Oh yeah, after 26 yrs, I have tinnitus and the T.V. blares so loud the neighbors comment about it.
Eh???
Worked in clinic for 30 yrs and have tinnitus. I am used to back ground noise, hard to work
:+
I have bilateral tinnitus and HATE it. White noise or radio softly on helps get my mind off of it.
:+