What are bone conduction headphones and how do they work?

It is a well-known fact now that listening to music too loudly via your headphones can ultimately lead to damage to your hearing. There are a huge range of headphones and ear pods available on the market. We are going to look at bone conduction headphones and determine if they are any safer than the other types.

How do bone conduction headphones work?

Unlike the other types of headphone, bone conduction headphones don’t send sounds through the air. Instead, they convert audio signals into vibrations. This means that this type of listening completely misses out the eardrum. The sound vibration goes straight to the middle ear and stimulates the cochlea. The vibrations are then converted to electrical signals and sent to the brain where it processes them as sound.

Bone conduction headphones can be worn as one piece with the strap behind the head or as two individual pieces worn behind the ear.

Why would someone wear bone conduction headphones over regular ones?

Bone conduction headphones offer a higher level of comfort as they don’t go in or cover your ear. They are a great alternative to those who find headphones and earbuds uncomfortable.

If you are someone who suffers regularly with ear infections, it would be wise to consider this type of headphone as it means you are not putting anything inside your ear. This is the same for those who suffer with earwax blockages. By not putting anything inside the ear, it means earwax can work its way out without becoming impacted.

If you plan to use your headphones for exercise, in particular running or walking outdoors, these are a great option as they allow you to still be able to hear the sounds around you on top of the sound you are listening to through the headphones.

Are bone conduction headphones better for your hearing than regular headphones?

Unfortunately, whilst they are a great option for reducing infection, they are not proven to be any safer for your hearing than other types of headphones. It is true that this type of headphone skips past the eardrum and therefore pose no risk to that part of your ear. However, you are still able to turn up the volume as high as you wish meaning you could still cause damage to your hearing. As with any kind of headphone, we would always suggest you follow the 60/60 listening rule. This means listening via headphones for no more than 60 minutes at no higher than 60% of the volume. There are various settings on smart phones that you can turn on which will not allow you to listen any higher than a safe level.

Noise induced hearing loss is the only type of hearing loss that can be avoided. Ensure you listen at a safe level to protect your ears and your hearing! If you think there has been some damage already, don’t hesitate to book yourself in for a hearing test. If you have any other questions, please drop us a message and we’ll be happy to assist.