# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/21 "2011-05-23T23:19:45Z")
They all hurt my ears; buds will literally have my ears aching for DAYS afterwards. Pretty painful. Guess I just don’t have much space there for a bud. May or may not be the reason I hate earphones and would rather listen to music through a speaker. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/22 "2011-05-24T00:57:49Z")
No. I can’t wear them. Apart from being uncomfortable, they don’t fricking fit in my ears. It’s old-style walkman headphones or nothin’ Joe ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/23 "2011-05-24T01:11:11Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > 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. I, too, find them painful when I can get them into my ears at all. Maybe I just have small ears or something. I loathe “ear buds” and dearly wish they weren’t so freakin’ popular. I’m finding it harder and harder to find alternatives, and don’t appreciate the looks I get from salespeople when looking for other headphones. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/24 "2011-05-24T01:15:14Z")
I can’t wear the in-ear style, either. The bud-style fall out and the in-canal soft inserts still make the canal sore after an hour or sometimes less. I have over-the-ear, behind-the-head bluetooth and am very happy. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/25 "2011-05-24T01:30:54Z")
I can’t use earbuds, and use over the head headphones when I listen to music at the gym. But I insert foam ear plugs to block out my wife’s snoring when I sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/26 "2011-05-24T03:09:22Z")
They make my ears feel itchy within a few minutes time. I guess the vibration? I have the same problem with those over-the-head type if they’re the small ones. The only headphones I don’t have this problem with are Sennheisers, the big earmuff style. Which of course would look ridiculous wearing on the street. Unless I was doing some sort of disco dance. That would be sweet. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/27 "2011-05-24T04:32:26Z")
I’m joining the list of people with deformed ears. Either they won’t stay in for longer than a few seconds or, if I do manage to jam 'em in really tight, my ears start to ache like crazy within a minute or two. I like the idea of the over-the-ear kind which I used to use with my Walkman but I don’t think these are adapted to iPhone use (ie no mike halfway down the cord). ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/28 "2011-05-24T04:46:11Z")
Haven’t read the thread but I’m at least one other person who can’t use them. My ear holes are too small to even get most buds in, and the cartilage of my ears is very sensitive. Any pressure leads to soreness. Non-earbud headphones or all sorts aren’t comfortable either. Probably the custom-fit ones would be great but I have no need for them. ---
**Author:** ![Leah\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/57b2e6/32.png) [@Leah\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leah_M)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/29 "2011-05-24T06:59:06Z")
Yeah, I can’t use the in-ear earbuds either. If I can even get them in, my ears start to hurt really badly, and after about 20-30 minutes fluid starts building up in my ears and interfering with the sound anyway. I have to use padded over-ear ones. They still hurt and cause problems after more than an hour or so, but not as bad as the earbuds. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/30 "2011-05-24T07:59:06Z")
The earbuds that came with my iPhone are abysmal to use. They hurt and I think the longest I can keep them in without falling out of my strangely shaped ears (especially if my head isn’t perfectly upright) is about ten minutes. I have some [over the head earbud headphones](http://www.amazon.com/Maxell-HB-202-Stereo-Line-Silver/dp/B00006JPRQ) that I can use, but are fairly uncomfortable. I’d be happy to use some old-school, lightweight, non-noise cancelling foam headphones like we got with Walkmans, but they’re harder and harder to find. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/31 "2011-05-24T09:36:50Z")
I did at first–when I first put them in, it felt really creepy. But I got used to it after a couple of uses and I’ve been using them for about seven years now with good sound quality. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/32 "2011-05-24T22:23:13Z")
Hate them, and they fall out easily. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/33 "2011-05-25T00:37:39Z")
Earbuds hurt and suck in general. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/34 "2011-05-25T00:50:13Z")
Earbuds don’t fit in my ears. They always, always fall out. I once worked as a dispatcher and had an earphone fitted to my ear canal which was wonderful. When I left the job, they would not let me take it with me. Waah. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/35 "2011-05-25T01:14:36Z")
Can’t use them either. I never knew my ears were different until the first time I tried earbuds. Then I realized that the bottom portion of my ear doesn’t form a ‘cup’ like most peoples’ do. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/36 "2011-05-25T02:17:22Z")
My ears hurt too much to keep them in within a couple hours. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/37 "2011-05-26T05:21:23Z")
Ever get glasses for the first time? Your ears hurt…a lot. But you build up, and then they don’t it hurt any more. It’s the same with ear buds. Give 'em at least a week. Eventually, the pain goes away. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/38 "2011-05-26T06:26:03Z")
- tiny ear conducts (thanks, Dad, couldn’t you have kept that gene?) - unusually good hearing (ok, so when I don’t hear people well on the phone/VoIP it’s because they’re mumbling/have a bad mike) - accustomed to listening to music at very, very low volumes The first one means even child-sized in-ear headphones are uncomfortable after less than half an hour; the other two mean that I have to be careful when I buy headphones in general because currently many of them have their own amplification but not a control for that - I want my volume lower. Yes, lower! Am I the only person in the world who wants her volume lower, specially when the music is coming from just outside her ears? ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/39 "2011-05-26T08:14:02Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > 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. Same here - I have oddly-shaped ear canals and once had to go to a specialist just to get the wax removed because the nurse couldn’t do it even with her super-syringe thing. :o But recently I bought a pair of noise-cancelling headphones that are supposed to go in the ear canal; I decided to give a pair one more try simply because I really needed good headphones and the other styles (including the @ style which are really good) can’t be worn with my glasses. They don’t go in my ear canal like they’re supposed to, but they do stay in my ear and cancel the traffic noise really well. ---
**Author:** ![Maalot20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c67d28/32.png) [@Maalot20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maalot20)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942/40 "2016-07-17T04:51:11Z")
I generally get this only with in-ear headphones - in terms of a pain like the ear canal was stretched by the vibrations of the sound between the speaker (headphone) and ear drum. Generally happens the first time I use in ear headphones after a minimum of 2 to 3 months of non-continuous usage. After this, the symptoms seem to dissipate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-finds-in-ear-headphones-painful/582942.md?page=1)