Apple Hearing Study Reveals New Insights on Tinnitus

[MacRumors]

Apple today shared an update on the Apple Hearing Study that reveals new insights into the hearing condition tinnitus.

In one of the largest surveys on tinnitus to date, researchers from the University of Michigan examined data from over 160,000 participants using Apple devices. Tinnitus, defined as the perception of sound without an external source, can manifest as ringing, buzzing, or other sounds and can impact quality of life by disrupting sleep, concentration, and clear hearing.

The study found that 77.6% of participants had experienced tinnitus at some point in their lives. The prevalence of daily tinnitus increased with age, with those aged 55 and older being three times more likely to experience it daily compared to younger participants aged 18-34. Male participants reported a slightly higher incidence of daily tinnitus, at 2.7% more than females, but a higher percentage of males stated they had never experienced tinnitus.

Participants reported employing various methods to manage their tinnitus. The most common strategies included using noise machines, listening to nature sounds, and practicing meditation. Regarding the causes of tinnitus, the study highlighted that noise trauma or exposure to excessively high noise levels was the primary reported cause, cited by 20.3% of participants. Apple highlighted several ways in which its devices can help support hearing health:

• Noise app: The Noise app on the Apple Watch can notify users when environmental noise levels may impact their hearing health. The iPhone's Health app tracks a user's history of sound level exposure and indicates if headphone audio or environmental noise levels exceed World Health Organization standards.
• Environmental sound levels: Users can view environmental sound levels over the course of a week on the iPhone and check noise levels in decibels on the Apple Watch, ensuring their exposure remains within safe limits.
• Active Noise Cancellation and Loud Sound Reduction mode: Active Noise Cancellation on the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max uses built-in microphones to detect and counter external sounds with anti-noise, effectively canceling them before they reach the user's ears. For those who still wish to hear surrounding sounds, the Loud Sound Reduction mode on AirPods Pro (2nd generation) reduces loud noises while maintaining sound quality.
• Reduce loud audio: To set a headphone volume limit, users can navigate to Settings, tap "Sounds & Haptics" (on iPhone 7 and later) or "Sounds" (for earlier models), then tap "Headphone Safety" to enable "Reduce Loud Audio" and adjust the slider to the desired decibel level.

The Apple Hearing Study, conducted in collaboration with the University of Michigan, seeks to advance understanding of sound exposure and its impact on hearing health. The study has already accumulated approximately 400 million hours of calculated environmental sound levels, supplemented by lifestyle surveys, to analyze how sound exposure affects hearing, stress, and related health aspects. The data collected is also being shared with the World Health Organization as part of its Make Listening Safe initiative. See Apple's full press release for more information.

Article Link: Apple Hearing Study Reveals New Insights on Tinnitus

 

[star-affinity]

Tinnitus sucks!

Or can suck depending on severity. If you have a mild sound that doesn't bother you during the day I think one can learn to manage to live with it, but if it's moderate to severe it can truly affect the quality of life negatively.

Prevention is of course best, but ultimately we need to find a cure for those situations when damage happens!

Same goes for curing hyperacusis (makes some ”normal” sounds louder) and hearing-loss. Horrible conditions I don't wish upon anyone. It is surreal having gone from no hearing issues at all where your hearing is ”just there” as one of your senses and not something you think much about, to then experience a constant high-pitch cicada like tinnitus, hyperacusis and hearing difference due to loosing some high-frequency hair cells.

Some of the amazing biology in the human inner ear unfortunately doesn't regenerate (hair cells and synapses).

So be careful and don't take your hearing for granted!

 

[Thomas Davie]

I have tinnitus, self induced. I’m 63, and from ages 24-40 I consumed large amounts of LSD and have subsequently been diagnosed with HPPD (Hallucination Perception Persisting Disorder). It doesn’t happen very often, mostly during times when my body fats content changes rapidly, which happens a few times a year Dialysis patient).

Usually lasts 60 minutes or so and it’s just like someone has a bad staticy iPhone call with a bit of whistling. Also accompanied by visual disturbances.

Debilitating? No, but I am glad to be on medical retirement.

Participating in this, now that I know.

Tom

 

[jephrey]

Hope this will lead to a solution. My dad's tinnitus has turned into hearing loss (74yo) and mine is a nuisance though it hasn't affected concentration or sleeping. I've got ~11KHz tone (I used a tone app to try and mimic what I hear) but there are other frequencies and not necessarily the same in both ears.

I need to put more effort in, but i tried a white noise generator and removed anything at 11KHz, in hopes that I could listen to it, then when I turned it off, my brain would be tricked into the white noise AND the 11KHz tone going away.

While there's a bunch of seemingly quack stuff out there, there's really no tried and true way to eliminate tinnitus... Not giving up loud music though!

 

[MrGimper]

I awoke in the middle of the night about a year ago with a ringing in my ears, and had it since.

I've always been sensitive to certain frequencies (could tell a CRT was on in the house just from a high-frequency in my ears)

Thankfully it's not that bad, and I manage it and have gotten used to it. The days after it happening quite literally drove me mad ... couldn't sleep for a couple of weeks.

 

[Mike_Trivisonno]

I have tinnitus in my left ear. It's so effin annoying. Endless high-pitched screeching that never goes away. I can mitigate it by constantly playing music, audio books, or various types of noise files from the White Noise app.

 

[Mike_Trivisonno]

I had pulsatile tinnitus for a few days. Thought my neighbor was pounding on drums all night. It was the pulse of my heart I was hearing. Thank God it went away after I stopped taking Sudafed. I would have seriously considered suicide it was so bad.

 

[MrGimper]

I had pulsatile tinnitus for a few days. Thought my neighbor was pounding on drums all night. It was the pulse of my heart I was hearing. Thank God it went away after I stopped taking Sudafed. I would have seriously considered suicide it was so bad.

I too get the "whooshing" sound sometimes.

 

[alexandr]

I had pulsatile tinnitus for a few days. Thought my neighbor was pounding on drums all night. It was the pulse of my heart I was hearing. Thank God it went away after I stopped taking Sudafed. I would have seriously considered suicide it was so bad.

I know what you mean. I had it some time ago, and if it wasn't for the steroid injection my life would've been much worse...

 

[Hodar1]

I have tinnitus, and I am partially to blame for my choices I made (rebuilding engines, shooting, loud music); but with age, comes many issues. Genetically, my parents have hearing issues. As I have zero musical talent, I used to truly enjoy listening to music; often at unsafe volumes. My tinnitus used to happen intermittently, now it's a constant high pitched sound.

My hearing MD explained it as, those tiny hairs used to sense sound are dead and gone; however, the nerves that connected to them are still healthy. They are straining to hear something that is no longer there. If you have ever put your hear to a glass, to try to listen to sound on the other side of a wall, odds are you are hearing what I hear - a high pitched whine. Those nerves are firing, as they are straining to hear sounds without their assigned "hair" present; so they feedback on each other. A good set of hearing aides will come with a tinnitus setting; which mimic's some of the sound you can't hear; so your brain detects "something", and those nerves settle down. Been wearing my hearing aides for 3 years (I just lost the high frequency, above about 8kHz), and the apparent tinnitus has greatly diminished.

The bad part about missing the high frequency, is the first sounds of a word, (cake, bake, take, make, rake, etc.) is often a high frequency transcient, and missing this means you often don't understand what is being said. Hearing Aides help - but avoiding this if you can; is highly recommended. Generics, on the other hand ..... there is no avoiding that.

 

[alexandr]

I awoke in the middle of the night about a year ago with a ringing in my ears, and had it since.

I've always been sensitive to certain frequencies (could tell a CRT was on in the house just from a high-frequency in my ears)

Thankfully it's not that bad, and I manage it and have gotten used to it. The days after it happening quite literally drove me mad ... couldn't sleep for a couple of weeks.

Did you go to a doctor when this happened?

 

[ghanwani]

Maybe they should also look at what EyeSafe is all about so they can fix their displays.

 

[victorvictoria]

Yep, I'm old. I have tinnitus, my wife has tinnitus, and almost everyone our age does too, either sometimes or constantly. Since medical science has nothing for us, we use coping strategies instead. But you can bet there are billions of dollars at stake for the company that comes up with a cure.

 

[Tony07]

I have had Tinnitus for over 30 years and it is loud, when I am not well its really annoying but I just have to get on with it. Its a bummer.

 

[macfacts]

So apple is using their customers as guinea pigs without their consent?

 

[Mal]

So apple is using their customers as guinea pigs without their consent?

No, why would you think that? You have to enroll in these types of studies.

I have tinnitus and didn't know about this study, but mine is pretty much constant crickets type. Would be lovely if someone could find a cure, but then again, despite how bothersome it can be, it's one of my least important medical issues right now!

 

[JackNL]

So apple is using their customers as guinea pigs without their consent?

That's one way looking at it...

 

[achtung!]

I want to send some hugs and love to all people struggling with tinnitus. It sucks, stay strong.

 

[macfacts]

Noise app: The Noise app on the Apple Watch can notify users when environmental noise levels may impact their hearing health. The iPhone's Health app tracks a user's history of sound level exposure and indicates if headphone audio or environmental noise levels exceed World Health Organization standards.

So apple is constantly listening to your environment? New Nick name for Tim, big brother.

 

[MrGimper]

Did you go to a doctor when this happened?

Nope, " just one of those things" with age.

 

[JeffPerrin]

It should be noted that while active noise cancellation is great for mitigating nuisance noise (airline cabin, traffic, etc.), active noise cancellation is not a proper substitute for actual hearing protection, as mentioned in the article. (Don't take my word for it, do your own research.) This is especially important for those suffering from tinnitus, as exposure to sudden loud noises can worsen the condition.

 

[nintendoswitch]

I had pulsatile tinnitus for a few days. Thought my neighbor was pounding on drums all night. It was the pulse of my heart I was hearing. Thank God it went away after I stopped taking Sudafed. I would have seriously considered suicide it was so bad.

I’ve had tinnitus on my right year and pulsatile tinnitus on my left year for at least 8 years, and I can understand how annoying it is. It is the absolute worst when your trying to sleep!

 

[Yammabot]

I have mild tinnitus, most times I just get on with things but it’s troublesome. I think it has a lot to do with dehydration of the inner ear. I find that coffee in excess brings it on too. I always leave the radio on to alleviate it.

 

[AnotherOpinion]

I post this to help anyone with tinnitus that was as bad as mine was. Please consult your doctor or specialist. I am not a doctor, only a patient sharing my experience. I have/had very bad/loud tinnitus. The one in my right ear was like an inconsistent morse code… and it got so bad I was contemplating some dark thoughts. It got to the point where I was willing to go deaf in my right ear. I saw an Ear Nose Throat specialist. He educated me on the cause of tinnitus. It is a loss of hearing specific sounds and our brain is recreating them. So even if I went dead in my right ear in an attempt to not hear the loud ringing, I would still "hear" it. He then prescribed AMITRIPTYLINE, which is an antidepressant. He said that the side effects help those with tinnitus. After about 2-3 weeks I no longer heard the most pervasive ringing in my right ear. It was amazing. SO MUCH RELIEF. I still hear about 3 to 4 persistent ringing, but it's manageable. The tinnitus in my right ear has minimized to a "quiet" high pitch… again… it's manageable…

 

[nt5672]

Surprise, surprise, surprise, Apple study says Apple devices not responsible for tinnitus.

Anyone remember the tobacco companies that produced study after study saying tobacco does not cause cancer.