Airpods And Headache/Ear Pain

[Perene]

And here's an article claiming the Airpods are unsafe:

Why I Stopped Using Apple’s Airpods (Testing EMFs in Bluetooth Headphones)

https://besynchro.com/blogs/blog/wh...airpods-testing-emf-s-in-bluetooth-headphones

I just found it...

And it makes sense the Airpods emit more radiation if we take into account how evolved their technology is, I mean, in terms of needing more of it to work the way they do... or I am talking nonsense?

Ops, that was explained in this quote from jcmoney10:

Tl;dr version - Airpods are safer than cellphones, but not as safe as some other Bluetooth headphones. If you aren't worried about cellphones, then don't worry about Airpods.

Glad to see I'm not the only person who is slightly paranoid lol. I too have ordered my Airpods (PFS with December 21st ship date in US), but since ordering I started doing some research on health concerns after stumbling across an article that suggested they (and other Bluetooth headsets) may not be safe. My non-scientific research focused on the SARs level, and how much is too much.

What I found was that most Bluetooth devices have a SAR level 1000 times less than most cellphones, which is good considering cell phones are considered safe to use (Most studies anyway). With that being said, most Bluetooth headsets are class 2 or class 3, which from my understand have shorter rangers and in turn require less power which also lowers the SAR levels. Some of these Bluetooth devices only reach a few feet, but produce a SAR of .001w/kg (in the US, cellphones are not allowed to have a SAR higher than 1.6w/kg). In the case of Apple Airpods, their FCC filing shows that they have a SAR level of .446 w/kg, which compared to cellphones is much lower, but compared to other Bluetooth devices is much higher. My guess is that because the range is so much higher on the Airpods, then that's why the levels are also elevated.

Some researcher hold the belief that all Bluetooth devices and cellphones produce dangerous levels of radiation, but as a whole the scientific community still holds the belief that there is not enough evidence to suggest the radiation produced by these devices are harmful to humans.

As for the concern over NMFI, I couldn't find any research suggesting that it was unsafe for adult. I found a few articles suggesting that magnetic fields were potential cancer causing agents in children, but didn't seem to talk much about adults. The jury might still be out on this one, but my guess is the levels are probably so low, that safety isn't an issue.

 

[bobob]

And here's an article claiming the Airpods are unsafe:

Why I Stopped Using Apple’s Airpods (Testing EMFs in Bluetooth Headphones)

https://besynchro.com/blogs/blog/wh...airpods-testing-emf-s-in-bluetooth-headphones

Be sure to pick up some of their turmeric elixir while you're visiting that link.

 

[Perene]

Leaving all speculation and conspiracy theories aside I think it's best to err on the side of caution. Another thing I forgot to say is that these things do add up. I agree there are no CONCLUSIVE studies showing all these side effects, the thing is, no one here talked about the cumulative effect.

It's one thing to use the Airpods for almost a year, and another completely different to use for decades and expect things to remain fine.

If they don't, two things will CERTAINLY HAPPEN: the health issues you'll have won't be fixed and you will not be able to blame anyone.

Someone said the battery from the Airpods is great. Well, that's not my experience. Sure they are better than other BT headphones, yet if I use for 2 hours they are almost gone. No way we can listen 5 hours on a single charge (at least they are quick to recharge).

And as much as I want to use wired headphones, in my experience the EARPODS have worse quality compared to the Airpods (which is in no way a high-end product). Then there's the over-ear headphones which can't be used for long until they start annoying my ears with their lack of comfort (at least the ones I tried).

You know what? I started making some lifestyle changes recently and will continue using the Airpods, but only in certain scenarios (you know what I mean), not in every possible moment of the day.

For most of my time I will not even use a headphone, since if it's wired I won't keep removing the wires and plugging them again, this will wear the iPAD port. When I plugged the EARPODS there I left them and didn't remove anymore.

Of course if there's no way to cancel the noise around you and you really need to use headphones (otherwise the experience is spoiled, and in many cases this really happens), then use it, anyway.

What I am trying to convey here is that we need to reduce our exposure.

The same can be said about looking at screens all day:
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/06/screen-addiction-is-taking-a-toll-on-children/
http://naturopathicearth.com/2017/11/13/npe72-screens/

We don't need to wear tinfoil hats, leave civilization or burn all these devices. What we need to do (and you'll all agree with me on that) is to rethink if we are not overexposed, dousing ourselves too much with all this garbage.

EMF levels of Apple devices

http://macintoshhowto.com/hardware/emf.html

Apple AirPods and EMF – how bad are they?

http://macintoshhowto.com/hardware/extreme-emf-exposure-from-apple-airpods.html

 

[Macalway]

It's so easy to talk yourself into fear.

And I don't really see how they 'transmit' so much, being almost entirely a receiving device. Doesn't make sense. Phones are 2-way. These are 1-way mostly. Explain this to me. As a matter of fact, that rather odd post above, with the EMF meter is highly questionable.

Now, I don't even own these and have no plans on buying them, so I have no dog in the fight. I do however, have the same fears as everyone who's health conscious.

 

[Perene]

I found these articles about the Airpods:

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/314691/are-airpods-damaging-to-your-health

http://macintoshhowto.com/hardware/extreme-emf-exposure-from-apple-airpods.html

https://besynchro.com/blogs/blog/wh...airpods-testing-emf-s-in-bluetooth-headphones

Then I contacted the guy who made this video:

He said the following:

Many YouTube videos, showing people using EMF meters, are showing those who do not understand what they are measuring. Especially those who are using a TriField Meter. They rarely know what they are talking about. The person who said the Airpods were measuring 7 to 10 milligauss was measuring only the "magnetic field." The other person who mentioned 3500 mV/m, I am not sure what they were measuring. However, I can tell you this, having wireless, bluetooth earbuds next to one's brain is ludicrous, idiotic. I dont need to create an entire video measuring those devices, it would be obvious they would show radiation transmitting like any other bluetooth device and I feel sorry for anyone using a product like that.

I am interested in seeing the Airpods measured the same way we see in this Youtube video... I am a little worried about EMF exposure, not just from the Airpods themselves, my bedroom had a cordless phone very near. I decided to put the phone in another room (won't ditch them), and now I am seeing my options concerning the gigabit router. At least I'll try to move it to another location.

As for Airplane mode I am enabling before going to sleep.

BTW, this discussion provides two links for technical info concerning the Airpods and radiation:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7789103

Look at this message:

The RF Exposure and information contained within the SAR Evaluation (which is required to be submitted to the FCC - since this is a product that transmits data) has yet to be made public by Apple Inc. on their legal site: https://www.apple.com/legal/rfexposure/

Upon doing extensive research I was able to find the the SAR Evaluation on the FCC's website. Because the right AirPod is separate from the left AirPod, there are two different filed reports:

Right AirPod:

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&calle dFromFrame=N&application_id=Yqjh7KE1ueuHBUj8vF%2FdDg%3D%3D&fcc_id=BCG-A1523

Left AirPod:

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&calle dFromFrame=N&application_id=VBwuHGD5PSUdR%2FIz3izB7w%3D%3D&fcc_id=BCG-A1722

In order to see the detailed 68 page PDF, under Exhibit Type, click on the one that corresponds to RF Exposure.

I hope this information is of help. I will not be purchasing the AirPods until I have thoroughly read through the SAR Evaluation and understand the details; even after going through it all, depending on the RF Exposure I find, I still might not be purchasing them due to the many studies of how bluetooth affects the brain. The other information I find interesting, is as follows: to my understanding, the iPhone/iDevice is connected to the Right AirPod and the Left AirPod is connected to the Right AirPod with your brain being right in between them.

 

[bobob]

News from the Netherealm.

 

[deyesed]

I knew it. I'm ET. But seriously science still doesn't have all the answers! It's true that for 99% there is no problem. But Human beings are different. We have different kind of allergies, tastes, and genetics. Why is so difficult for you to accept that few of us are having difficulties with Bluetooth?

Our current understanding of science and Occam's razor. You're much more likely experiencing a nocebo effect, which can be quite real.

Yes the thought that you oughtn't trust your body's sensations is weird. But it's a possibility given what you've heard about "radiation".

 

[Perene]

After 311 days with the Airpods I sold them. Gone back to using the Earpods and currently seeing if it's worth buying a Sennheiser 598 SR.

Not only I don't think it's worth taking any risk with all this EMF garbage (that only got worse over the years), I never liked the fact the batteries didn't last (no way we could listen to 5 hours in a single charge), and I couldn't let them outside the charger case since they keep transmitting when not there and wasting the battery even when not in my ears.

There's also one more thing that I read in a book that's worth mentioning:

I don't intend to buy another BT headphone.

 

[ike185]

I find your post more comprehensive. I've stopped using mine as I've experienced numbness when I used them from the 4th day and when I stopped, the numbness in the chin stopped. So i tested them again and it came back. So, i think am probably too sensitive to the AirPods and that is fine. Will however keep an eye on this Thread and on if  will say anything about it for i love the AirPods a lot. Thanks for that comprehensive post.
[doublepost=1520409521][/doublepost]I am pretty dissapointed now, because the Airpods + case looks very cool and small (compared to the Bose ones). I will try to repeatedly swap them to see whether the issue abates.

Please do report back. Iv'e also done tests and noticed the same. I agree with some who say some people might be more sensitive to the transmission from the AirPods. Like you, I love them but have discontinued their use. Gone back to EarPods and am ok.

 

[Perene]

Another reason I don't want another BT headphone is simply because I never (and I mean that part) take any of my devices outside.

I don't use a cellphone or smartphone (even if one day I use one, it would be to make emergency calls). I hate the idea of a tiny screen and don't feel safe to take an expensive product out there (even though we can't really gain access to locked Apple stuff). My IPP 10.5 don't use a password (we can add one remotely by loging into our Apple IDs, in "Lost Mode").

So I only use a PC (which it has a gigabit router 3-6 ft (1-2 meters) away from me, the only thing I need fixing in my bedroom, and the iPAD, and most of the time in this room or inside this house. I don't need a BT headphone for convenience, and I am used to custom gestures, meaning I prefer to touch the iPAD screen to adjust volume levels, pause, etc.

I never use Siri, which would be inefficient (and take more time) compared to those custom gestures from nPlayer. And considering I use the iPAD this way and the device is always close to me it doesn't matter if I have the Airpods or a Sennheiser/the Earpods.

Considering everything I said it was a wise decision. If the batteries lasted 8 hours or more, if they could last even more outside the charger case and if the radiation wasn't so high then I admit things could be interesting.

However I am sure decades of use on a daily basis (despite the lack of longitudinal studies) aren't going to help anyone. The fact I never felt like others reported in this thread isn't an indication the Airpods aren't bad for me.

In modern times we are accustomed to many convenient things and never ask what is going to be the price our bodies will have to pay in the future. I started researching on this matter and even with the studies published so far there's reason enough to be alarmed.

No one here can deny the exposure increased exponentially over the years.

It's not just the Airpods, it's everything inside YOUR house, wi-fi from neighbors, other people using cellphones in the street, office, nearby towers... this EMF garbage is everywhere.

Even if you buy the argument that tiny ammounts of them don't do harm, remember it's daily exposure for decades, and all these things ADD UP. What would be the cumulative effect? You might already be sick or not feeling OK and don't even know this.

And many of these diseases can't be cured, at best treated.

I suggest listening to these particular episodes to understand what to do to reduce this exposure:
http://naturopathicearth.com/2017/10/19/npe62emf/
https://soundcloud.com/user-316262942/npe83rf

What also bothered me was the fact APPLE changed iOS to make a simple thing like using Airplane mode difficult. I am not particularly enthusiastic about supporting a company that doesn't care about my health.

 

[ike185]

Am not sure but can only speak for myself. I feel a lot of discomfort using them. So, i actually returned them today and they'll do an assessment as they said then let me know if I can get a refund. At this stage i don't really mind if i don't get the full refund or half. It just does not work with me even thou they were such a convenience. I think it's an individual thing. It works for some, does not work for others.

 

[Xprmntr]

i just found out abt all this and im getting rid of a lot of my stuff

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/01/08/reduce-emf-exposure.aspx

https://emfacademy.com/reduce-emf-dirty-electricity-exposure/

 

[dmillar74]

Would these help?

https://airpodgrips.com/products/airpod-grips

 

[IL2AZ]

I hate to say it, but after a week, I decided to return my AirPods. I use lots of tech, but I can’t get past the idea that I’m stuffing these things into my ear in such close proximity to my brain. It’s just not worth the risk at this point. Hopefully the prevalence of such devices will prompt more extensive and higher profile studies. Until then, I can deal with the wires, have been for years and years. Believe me, I loved the AirPods for the short time I had them, and I hope they come out with more conclusive evidence in their favor. I guess at this point, I’m erring on the side of caution.

 

[esh314]

I've spent the past few days looking into this. My conclusion is that radiation can't be causing the headaches. I would love to hear your responses to these reasons.

Reason 1:
Cell phone calls with the phone pressed to your ear emit much more RF energy than AirPods do, and phone calls don't give me headaches.

Reason 2:
AirPods aren't using enough power to be concerning. People are worried because AirPods are Bluetooth Class 1 and therefore have a high *maximum* power, but they're not constantly operating at maximum power. (If they were, they'd run out of battery very quickly.) They only use maximum power when they're far away from the iPhone (the maximum range is 100 meters). If you keep your phone in your pocket the AirPods will use low power. This works the same way for cell phones--they use more power the further away they are from the nearest cell tower. If you have poor signal reception it uses more power.

Reason 3:
Even if the radiation is carcinogenic, that doesn't mean it would give you a headache. We shouldn't get those two things mixed up. Carcinogenic things usually don't cause any immediate symptoms.
More importantly, cell phone radiation doesn't have a noticeable link to cancer according to the majority of studies so far: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/cellular-phones.html

Therefore, my conclusion is that the radiation from AirPods can't be the cause of the headaches. It must have something to do with the fit in the ear (maybe contact with a nerve on the ear?) or the sound waves creating pressure (AirPods have excellent bass for earbuds, but bass creates the most vibration, which could probably cause discomfort in an area as delicate as the ear canal. I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but I really don't think radiation is the problem here.

 

[ike185]

You might be right in any one of those conclusions. To me, time will tell. I've gone back to my EarPods and all good 3 months going. Well, they've actually been good since 2015 when i got them.
[doublepost=1528755115][/doublepost]I could not agree more. Am willing to wait for other studies over some years to see the implications. Then will reconsider. Like you, having the wires is an inconvenience am willing to bear till then.
[doublepost=1528755359][/doublepost]Oh I actually got a full refund on the AirPods, however in Apple store credits which is very fair to me because they explained that because it's a personal product you plug into your ear, they can't just sell it to someone else. So i have credit to burn on my next  product

 

[glenohumeral]

I've spent the past few days looking into this. My conclusion is that radiation can't be causing the headaches. I would love to hear your responses to these reasons.

Reason 1:
Cell phone calls with the phone pressed to your ear emit much more RF energy than AirPods do, and phone calls don't give me headaches.


Phones arent positioned the same as headphones do. Remember physics tell us the amt of power transmitted is to the 1/r^4. Distance has quadrupling effect on the amt of power transmitted and headphones are positioned much closer (it's actually inside the ear not against it)

Reason 2:
AirPods aren't using enough power to be concerning. People are worried because AirPods are Bluetooth Class 1 and therefore have a high *maximum* power, but they're not constantly operating at maximum power. (If they were, they'd run out of battery very quickly.) They only use maximum power when they're far away from the iPhone (the maximum range is 100 meters). If you keep your phone in your pocket the AirPods will use low power. This works the same way for cell phones--they use more power the further away they are from the nearest cell tower. If you have poor signal reception it uses more power.

Same as above. Also, phones have an option to put on speakerphone and hence never have to place the phone near the head. Headphones, by design, is not possible to do so.

Reason 3:
Even if the radiation is carcinogenic, that doesn't mean it would give you a headache. We shouldn't get those two things mixed up. Carcinogenic things usually don't cause any immediate symptoms.
More importantly, cell phone radiation doesn't have a noticeable link to cancer according to the majority of studies so far: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/cellular-phones.html

Therefore, my conclusion is that the radiation from AirPods can't be the cause of the headaches. It must have something to do with the fit in the ear (maybe contact with a nerve on the ear?) or the sound waves creating pressure (AirPods have excellent bass for earbuds, but bass creates the most vibration, which could probably cause discomfort in an area as delicate as the ear canal. I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but I really don't think radiation is the problem here.

I will agree with you on this. Carcinogenic =! headache. Also cellphone radiation =! carcinogen. I get that. But am I willing to take the chance? I don't. Do you? Well it's your health and that's entirely upto the individual. Neither of us will have a second shot at it, though.

 

[ike185]

Your last sentence was also what I thought about. There's no second shot at this. I'll take wearing EarPods over taking that chance till more conclusive research about this comes out from testing the AirPods themselves over time.

 

[Perene]

Unfortunately I don't have the Airpods in here to test with these meters I bought, but look at this video I uploaded today. It's perhaps the only one in the internet measuring the Apple Pencil. (Note: the Acoustimeter is not only more expensive, it's definitely more reliable for this job. Still both of them show high readings).

If the Airpods are anywhere near this (and they can't be any different considering how Apple designed them to be powerful)... my advice is to avoid.

This is the only video measuring the Airpods I could find.

Posted here: https://www.emfanalysis.com/are-bluetooth-headsets-safe/

 

[ATHiker95]

This is my exact problem! Its taken me a while to truely explain it, but it's likes a slow building pressure on the sides of my head. I'm not sure what to make of it, as I don't think it's "radiation" related (otherwise my phone would give me the same issue). I thought it might be the size of the headphones, but I seem to get the headache regardless of whether I wear them deep in my ear or if I wear them loose and barely in.

At this point I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to return them because I love them and they are fantastic(outside of the headache of course), but at the same time using them is becoming increasingly difficult. I've tried just about everything I can think of.

Exactly the issue I'm having. 3 weeks after discontinuing usage, I still have stuffed up ears (have to continually swallow) and a high pitched "hiss" in my ears. And I only wore them about 4x for about 15 minutes each. Going to see an ENT.

 

[esh314]

Exactly the issue I'm having. 3 weeks after discontinuing usage, I still have stuffed up ears (have to continually swallow) and a high pitched "hiss" in my ears. And I only wore them about 4x for about 15 minutes each. Going to see an ENT.

I had the same problem. After I stopped using the AirPods, the stuffy feeling and the need to swallow a lot took a month or two to go away completely. Could you please post again after your ENT appointment? I'm curious to hear what they say. My current theory is that the shape of the AirPods and the loud bass volume is causing impacted ear wax. But I'm not super confident about that.

 

[ATHiker95]

Lol dude if there is any significant radiation (which there probably isn't) you're not going to get symptoms after one afternoon's use. The most likely scenario is that they're too loud or it isn't even related to the earphones.

Not true. I had issues after 15 minutes with pressure and muffled feelings. After stopping usage, I have had continued stuffed up ears and high pitched "hissing" in my ears for the past 3 weeks. So not imagining this.
[doublepost=1538950805][/doublepost]

I had the same problem. After I stopped using the AirPods, the stuffy feeling and the need to swallow a lot took a month or two to go away completely. Could you please post again after your ENT appointment? I'm curious to hear what they say. My current theory is that the shape of the AirPods and the loud bass volume is causing impacted ear wax. But I'm not super confident about that.

Yes, will do. I'm glad to hear yours eventually went away. This is pretty concerning. Did you have any issues with tinnitus?

 

[ike185]

Exactly the issue I'm having. 3 weeks after discontinuing usage, I still have stuffed up ears (have to continually swallow) and a high pitched "hiss" in my ears. And I only wore them about 4x for about 15 minutes each. Going to see an ENT.

I just stopped using them and returned them. I just had to accept they are not for me. They are awesome but given it's my health, i don't want to toy with that. Seeing the doctor is a good idea. I think i'll try one again and see if this reoccurs, then go see my doctor and see what they say to get a definite answer. Am just one who listen's to his body and that has helped me over life at 40 years old now. The body speaks very clearly and I try not to ignore it. Am hoping there's a solution for this for those of us that this is uncomfortable for so we can use the device.

 

[Perene]

I had the same problem. After I stopped using the AirPods, the stuffy feeling and the need to swallow a lot took a month or two to go away completely. Could you please post again after your ENT appointment? I'm curious to hear what they say. My current theory is that the shape of the AirPods and the loud bass volume is causing impacted ear wax. But I'm not super confident about that.

EMFs may not be the reason you have this issue.

https://www.everydayhearing.com/hearing-loss/why-is-my-hearing-muffled/

It could be one of them, though. Most diseases are certainly caused by our way of life, they don't appear all of sudden.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/emf-rf-and-tinnitus-—-research-and-discoveries.415/
https://www.electricsense.com/1084/cell-phones-if-you-don’t-get-cancer-you-could-get-tinnitus/

It won't do any good to avoid using the Airpods if you are constantly exposed to EMF. That's like putting out a cigar while your entire house has smoke all day.

We are exposed 24/7 to a lot more (combined) than what we get from the Airpods.

For example, the cleanest way to use a phone is through the speakerphone feature of a landline corded version (when you press the handset against your ear you are exposed to a high magnetic field, another form of EMF not covered in this thread - so far the discussion was about the RF radiation emitted by the Airpods). I didn't know that until recently, I thought getting rid of cordless phones was enough.

There are lots of things that can be done to reduce EMF in a house (putting some distance between you and the devices is one), EMF meters are useful to evaluate the RF and magnetic/electric fields, to tell if you need to move elsewhere (and when you are renting a new house).

Sometimes the solution is simple, like wiring errors and stray electricity in pipes that can create surprisingly high levels (these can be fixed by a qualified electrician).

I suggest finding a building biologist. This page explains how. Even if you go to a qualified doctor he will not discuss EMFs. I am not saying he is leaving this out because he wants you to remain sick so he can keep his job, the truth is that most doctors don't know this is an issue (and have not studied the subject).

With a few changes in my house I reduced a lot my exposure. I bet these people which reported issues with the Airpods had a lot more exposure over the years. One thing I forgot to mention is that I never had the habit of using telephones.

 

[Perene]

Just stumbled upon this new episode from a podcast I sometimes check, about the Airpods specifically:

AirPods Emit 60x EMF Radiation. In this episode of Holistic Health News, Gregory discusses the somewhat shocking news that Apple AirPods, the Bluetooth wireless earbuds released a few years back, emit a significant more amount of electromagnetic frequency radiation than both having the phone next to your head when using it as a telephone and conventional plug-in earbuds. We discuss the studies and ways you can overall reduce your EMF exposure in your life.

Anyway, I don't really miss the Airpods. First of all I never bring my devices outside, and only use the iPAD (don't like smartphones). If I am not mistaken the Airpods sounded better (or at least it seemed that way) than the Earpods, and the Sennheiser which is supposed to be better than all of them (also bought recently) is cumbersome (like any over-ear headphone) so I opted to use it only in my PC.

It doesn't bother me in terms of comfort, over extended periods.

If there is a better option (also wired) in terms of In-Ear / Earbuds (compared to the Earpods) I am open to suggestions. I never remove a wired headphone from a device, to avoid reinserting many times and damaging somehow. For this reason is not practical to carry all the time the Sennheiser.