# Am I the only one who finds in-ear headphones painful? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 23, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942 "2011-05-23T19:48:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/1 "2011-05-23T19:48:11Z")
I have tried literally a dozen or more types of in-ear headphones, and all of them become painful in a short period of time (20 minutes) if they dont’ actually start out painful. Is it just me? It’s a bummer, because of course the alternatives are much bulkier (although I like the back-of-the-neck styles, way better than topof-the-head). I really wish I could find some that dont’ hurt but I’m pretty sure there’s just something weird about my ears… Am I all alone? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/2 "2011-05-23T19:51:38Z")
I don’t find them painful, but definitely uncomfortable, and they sound like crap. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/3 "2011-05-23T19:52:28Z")
Do you mean earbuds, or the noise cancelling variety that actually insert into your ear canal? Assuming the former, I love them, but I know my mum finds them annoying. She says they hurt, a claim which baffles me and my extraordinarily low pain threshold. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/4 "2011-05-23T19:54:30Z")
They generally sound fine to me, but can be uncomfortable. If I push them in too far they block air flow and the pressure difference is unpleasant. If I try to leave them loose, they’ll fall out, especially since I like to listen to audiobooks when eating by myself and the jaw motion works them loose. But I’m not about to wear cans when out and about. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/5 "2011-05-23T19:57:22Z")
The big round and flat ones (earbuds) hurt my ears. When I use the ones that came with my iPhone, I just put them loosely sideways into my ears and hope they stay in place. I prefer the small cylindrical in-ear kinds with silicone pads. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/6 "2011-05-23T20:03:45Z")
It depends on what kind they are. Hard plastic leads to pain, but the ones I have with silicone pads are very comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/7 "2011-05-23T20:08:33Z")
I wouldn’t know. I can’t get ear buds to stay in my ears for more than 30 seconds. I must have weird ears. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/8 "2011-05-23T20:09:47Z")
It’s less that I find them painful than that I don’t trust the little whatchamacallits not to slip off the earphone and into my ear canal. I’m against that. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/9 "2011-05-23T20:15:38Z")
I usually can’t get them to stay in, but on the rare occasions they do, they end up being painful after a pretty short time. I hate earbuds. I look like a throwback to the '80s because my iPod is attached to a set of those cheap foam-covered over-the-ear headphones, like you used to have on Walkmans. I like them, though. They don’t hurt and they don’t fall out. ---
**Author:** ![Ura-Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Ura-Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ura-Maru)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/10 "2011-05-23T20:30:27Z")
I’ve always found them uncomfortable to wear for more than a few minutes at at time. (Never tried the earplug-brain-stabby kind) Fortunately, there’s a solution. They make earphones that look kind of like the ‘@’ symbol. The bud is the bit in the middle, and the wraparound bit goes around the ear to hold it in place. It’s outside the ear-cavity, so it’s not pushing back against that little thing that partially covers it, which is what always bugged me about the buds. Not as bulky or goofy looking as the Walkman headphones, and they scrunch up in a pocket much better. – I can’t think of a good Nethack joke to put here. Lets just assume I have. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/11 "2011-05-23T20:34:00Z")
I can’t get earbuds to work with my ears. I have a messed-up jaw so my ears are sort of non-standard as it is. I use H2OAudio stuff for taking my iPod in the pool, and I had to buy their [pro-fit kit](http://h2oaudio.com/store/waterproof-headphones/pro-fit-kit.html) of various earplugs to make sure I got the headphones to stay in my ears. I still haven’t found the best plugs from the kit as I only swim once a week. Also sucks because each ear is shaped differently. And sometimes shaped differently from day to day based on how my jaw is doing. But you gotta assume other people have similar problems if they sell a kit of 9 earplugs for “fit” as well as send along 3 sized of plugs when you buy a pair of their headphones. I don’t even bother with anything bud-like when I’m not in the pool. I have a pair of “pad” headphones that aren’t connected to a headset or anything. They’re like buds in that sense, but they don’t go in your ears. ETA: Like what **Ura-Maru** describes, but as a pad instead of a bud. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/12 "2011-05-23T20:36:15Z")
I prefer [these](http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Cable-Beats-Special-Headphones/dp/B004W1EXYC/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1306182943&sr=1-2). ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/13 "2011-05-23T20:41:55Z")
> [@Ura-Maru](#): > > Fortunately, there’s a solution. They make earphones that look kind of like the ‘@’ symbol. The bud is the bit in the middle, and the wraparound bit goes around the ear to hold it in place. Those kind are absolutely fantastic, and I’m still not certain why I didn’t find another pair when my old pair went bust. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/14 "2011-05-23T20:45:30Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > I usually can’t get them to stay in, but on the rare occasions they do, they end up being painful after a pretty short time. I hate earbuds. I look like a throwback to the '80s because my iPod is attached to a set of those cheap foam-covered over-the-ear headphones, like you used to have on Walkmans. I like them, though. They don’t hurt and they don’t fall out. I use those kinds of headphones too, not because earbuds hurt my ears but because the sound is so much better with the Walkman-type earphones. The difference really is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/15 "2011-05-23T20:52:37Z")
Yes, I find them painful, I won’t wear them. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/16 "2011-05-23T20:57:12Z")
I also find them painful. ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/17 "2011-05-23T21:27:08Z")
They can be kinda pricey, but have you given custom-made in-ears a consideration? [Etymotic](http://www.etymotic.com/customfit/index.html) makes them, for instance, and while I use a pair of Beyerdynamic that are not available in the US, the basic principle stays the same: An audiologist takes a mold from your ear and custom-makes the pieces that then hold the speakers to perfectly fit your ears. This has 5 basic advantages: 1. They’re really comfortable - no more sore ears. 2. They fit very snugly, so they won’t fall out. 3. Hi, Opal! 4. Because they’re so tight, noise cancellation is great, and you can listen to your music at a lower volume. 5. Also, since they’re coupled to the ear, bass response is really unparalleled by any other in-ear headphone. Just look for a pair you like and see if it has the customization option. It’s money well spent! ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/18 "2011-05-23T21:30:15Z")
I only find them painful if the volume is too loud. Otherwise, the in-ear type is what I use, and as long as I have the correct-sized “plug” (buying them new you usually get three sizes), I can comfortably leave them in for a long time. The round padded types that just get propped inside the ear structure usually irritate the skin after a while. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/19 "2011-05-23T21:50:32Z")
What’s the official terminology for the different kinds of earphones/earbuds/headphones—or is there one? 1. There’s the little flat kind, like [this](http://fishtrain.com/wp-content/uploads/ipod_white_earbuds.jpg) or [this](http://dvice.com/pics/sony_earbuds_bf.jpg). These seem to be the kind that’s most often included when you buy an MP3 player. But to me, they’re practically useless, because they just sit in the outer edge of the ear and if I move my head even a little bit they fall out. Do other people have this problem? Am I doing it wrong? Do I have nonstandard ears? 2. There’s the kind that you actually stick into your ears, like [this](http://scienceblogs.com/aardvarchaeology/upload/2010/05/in_my_earbuds_lately/creative-earbuds.jpg) or [this](http://www.retrevo.com/content/files/images/products/skullcandy-earbuds-blue.jpg). This is the kind I generally use, and they _can_ work pretty well (and I don’t find them painful), but it still can be tricky getting them to fit right. There are other variations as well, but those seem to be the most common. The older [Walkman-style](http://www.thewritingnut.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/walkman-tps-l2.jpg) headphones with the big pads that press against one’s ears don’t seem to work well with modern mp3 players because they don’t put out enough volume. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/20 "2011-05-23T22:21:40Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Those kind are absolutely fantastic, and I’m still not certain why I didn’t find another pair when my old pair went bust. These suck for me! They often end up pinching a bit of ear skin near the front and they’re never secure. I can corkscrew them on my ears but they never really FIT; they kind of flap around. I’ve even had others try to put them on my ears and they give up, too. But I dislike ear buds, too. ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942.md?page=2)