Bone conduction headphones are one of the latest innovations in the ever-evolving audio landscape. These innovative devices deliver sound using your cheekbones instead of your ears. But, are these headphones safe? Are they a safer alternative for traditional headphones? We’ll provide you with the answers right here!
In this blog, we’ll discuss the safety and science of bone conduction headphones.
How Do Bone Conduction Headphones Work?
Before we dive into the safety aspect of bone conduction headphones, let’s first look at how they work and learn more about the bone conduction technology.
| DID YOU KNOW? Bone conduction speakers also exist! Well, you don’t need to wear them on your body like bone conduction headphones. They only leverage the bone conduction technology to transmit sound through vibrations in solid objects. |
Traditional headphones deliver sound waves into your eardrum through air. In contrast, bone conduction headphones leverage your cheekbone as a medium to propagate sound waves to your skull (instead of your ears). They use the mechanical resonance principle for the same.
How Bone Conduction Headphones Use the Mechanical Resonance Principle to Deliver Sound
Bone conduction headphones convert electric signals (e.g., music, podcasts, etc.) into mechanical vibrations that are significantly strong to travel through a solid bone. Nevertheless, these vibrations are also delicate and safe for humans.
Mechanical Vibrations Travel From Your Skull to Inner Ear
Once your skull receives these vibrations, they go round the middle and outer ear, and directly enter your inner ear. Most headphones-related ear problems occur in the middle and outer ear areas.
These Vibrations Activate the Cochlea in Your Inner Ear
Once the mechanical vibrations generated by your bone conduction headphones enter your inner ear, they activate the cochlea (a fluid-filled and tiny, spiral-shaped structure inside your inner ear, lined with several miniscule hair cells).
The Cochlea Converts Mechanical Vibrations to Electrical Signals, Recognized as Sound by Your Brain
As soon as the mechanical vibrations trigger the cochlea, they move the fluid and hair cells inside it. These movements are then converted into electrical signals by the hair cells and recognized as sound by your brain.
Are Bone Conduction Headphones Safe for Your Ears?
Most audiologists and researchers believe that bone conduction headphones are safe for the ears, if used properly.
For example, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) conducted research to compare the effects of different audio devices (bone conduction headphones vs. traditional headphones) on driving performance, subjective workload, and story comprehension.
The research showed that bone conduction headphones do not impact story comprehension or cover the ear canals. Therefore, they are safer for driving than traditional headphones.
HFES conducted another research to demonstrate the effectiveness of bone conduction earphones for outdoor activities, among open type earphones and kernel type earphones. Per the research, bone conduction earphones can be a suitable option to meet outdoor entertainment demands and ensure the safety of individuals who enjoy outdoor activities.
Experts also emphasize the benefits of these headphones for preventing ear issues related to the middle and outer ear areas, and individuals with hearing impairment issues.
However, they recommend using these devices cautiously as overusing them at high volumes can lead to hearing problems or distraction when driving, cycling, running, or indulging in other outdoor activities.
Per a research published in the National Library of Medicine, listening to distracting sounds using bone conduction headphones can hamper an individual’s awareness of their auditory environment.
What Are the Potential Benefits of Using Bone Conduction Headphones?
The unique functionality of bone conduction headphones can provide you with several benefits, such as:
Improved Situational Awareness
As you have seen above, the best bone conduction headphones do not cover your ears completely. Therefore, they provide you with an open-ear listening experience like no other audio device on the market.
The open-ear design of bone conduction headphones can especially benefit outdoor enthusiasts. Therefore, these headphones are popular among cyclists, hikers, runners, and so on. They can be great alternatives to traditional headphones for outdoor activities.
Better Accessibility for Individuals With Hearing Impairment
Bone conduction headphones can be a great choice for individuals suffering from hearing loss or hearing impairment (especially conductive hearing loss) related to the ear canals or eardrums.
Since these headphones bypass the middle and outer ear parts and directly access the inner ear for propagating sound, they can be an excellent alternative to traditional headphones.
Enhanced Comfort
Traditional headphones and earbuds can lead to discomfort when used for longer durations. This is where bone conduction headphones can help as they sit on your cheekbones instead of your ears. Therefore, they eliminate issues related to ear fatigue, infection or irritation.
Better Fit During Exercises and Other Physical Activities
Bone conduction headphones are popular among gym enthusiasts, cyclists and runners as they provide a better fit than traditional headphones. Since they are worn around the head and sit on your cheekbones, they come with reduced chances of slipping or falling when working out, running, or cycling.
What Are the Potential Risks Associated With Using Bone Conduction Headphones?
While bone conduction headphones come with a unique set of benefits, like any other technological innovation, they can also come with certain risks. One of the most common risks associated with prolonged use of these headphones is inner ear damage.
Inner Ear Damaged Due to Prolonged Use of Bone Conduction Headphones
Bone conduction headphones use your inner ear to deliver sound. Therefore, using them for extended periods, especially at loud volumes, may lead to inner ear (or cochlea) damage. However, this risk is not exclusive to bone conduction headphones and comes with traditional headphones as well.
No Scientific Study or Research to Prove the Negative Impact of Bone Conduction Headphones on Bones or Other Inner Ear Structures
During our research on the safety of bone conduction headphones, we couldn’t really find any concrete evidence to connect the functionality of these headphones to bone issues or damage to inner ear structures.
4 Safety Tips for Using Bone Conduction Headphones
Even though bone conduction headphones come with more benefits than risks, it’s best to exercise precaution while using them to avoid hearing issues, discomfort, and so on.
Here are some quick safety tips to ensure a smooth and safe listening experience with bone conduction headphones!
Monitor the Headphones’ Volume
Whether you are using bone conduction headphones, on-ear/over-ear headphones, or earbuds, it’s best to avoid extended use at high volumes to protect your ears and prevent hearing issues.
| We highly recommend using the 60/60 rule when using bone conduction headphones. According to this rule, you should not listen to music at more than 60% of the maximum volume for more than 60 minutes. |
Per an article published by the Mayo Clinic, the 60/60 rule can come in handy to ensure a safer listening experience for yourself and your kids.
Track Your Usage Time
Even though bone conduction headphones are more comfortable than traditional headphones in terms of extended use, we suggest monitoring your usage time and limiting it to avoid any harm resulting from prolonged exposure.
Consider limiting your usage to three to four hours per day.
Talk to Your Audiologist
If you have a pre-existing hearing issue, we strongly advise consulting your audiologist before switching to bone conduction headphones.
Even though these headphones are beneficial for individuals with hearing impairment, they may not be suitable for everyone.
Clean Your Headphones
Lastly, ensure you keep your headphones clean and tidy to prevent ear infections or skin irritation. Clean your headphones regularly per the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Final Thoughts
From their unique functionality to their stellar benefits, bone conduction headphones are transforming the headphones space in their own way. However, like any other technological innovation, they also come with a few potential health risks. Therefore, ensure you thoroughly weigh the pros and cons of bone conduction headphones before buying them.
Existing research and studies do not indicate any harm from using bone conduction headphones with caution. Therefore, all in all, the safety of bone conduction headphones narrows down to responsible and limited use.
