I was extremely excited the first time I got my hands on the Airpods in 2016. Due to their immense hype, I thought they’d be the most comfortable earbuds out there.
However, when I wore them, the AirPods wouldn’t stay in my ears, and after a few minutes, it started to hurt my ears, and I felt uncomfortable.
After my first poor altercation, I’ve tried the other generations of Airpods, too, but other than the Airpods Pro, my experience hasn’t been very good.
Thus, if AirPods hurt your ears, I understand. I’ve listed a few reasons why it happens and what you can do to prevent it.
Why Do Airpods Hurt My Ears?
Regularly listening to music at higher volumes is the primary reason why Airpods hurt your ears. Also, improper fit or scratching of plastic and metal parts against the skin can cause ear pain.
Airpods cause ambient noise to creep into your ears since they don’t seal your ear canal. To drown out the external noise, many of you turn up the volume to an unsafe level, which causes excess strain on your ears.
Let’s discuss this and a few other reasons why AirPods hurt your ears and possible solutions.
5 Reasons Why Airpods Hurt Your Ears
1. Listening at Higher Volumes
I worked at Audio46 (hi-fi audio store) for a few years, which catered to a younger audience. Most of the boys and girls always complained that Airpods hurt their ears, and the first question I would ask is, “Do you listen to music at a higher volume?” And they’d always say yes.
Regularly listening to music at higher volume is one of the main reasons why AirPods hurt your ears.
Unlike conventional earbuds, the AirPods don’t have silicon eartips, which offer a proper seal and block most of the external noise. Thus, external noise easily enters your ears when listening to music on AirPods.
Similarly, when using AirPods while traveling, you unknowingly increase the volume by a few notches to drown out the ambient noise.
This poor habit tires your eardrums because the loud music puts unwanted pressure on them. Due to this, after an hour or so, your ears start to hurt.
Solution: Use your Airpods in a quiet room and increase the volume step by step. Check at what level the volume seems loud for your ears. For example, if it is around 70%, ensure you never exceed the volume level in a noisy environment.
2. Listening for a Longer Time
Due to the Airpods’ tiny size, we forget how long they’ve been in our ears when listening to music or watching a movie.
Unknowingly, I also use my AirPods Pro for several hours a day while watching YouTube videos. It causes my ears to hurt slightly at the end of the day.
If you have the same habit, it is the reason why your ears hurt, and you can’t blame the AirPods entirely.
And no, the problem won’t solve if you plan to upgrade to Airpods Pro. No matter which Airpods or earbuds you use, listening for a longer time will cause your ears to hurt.
Solution: If you’re having a movie marathon or listening to a new music album, set a timer before using your AirPods. I follow the same method and always set the timer to 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, I take a 10-minute break and stop using the Airpods Pro/earbuds to give my ears some rest.
3. Poor Fit
Since the AirPods have an unusual design, they cannot offer a standard fit to most users.
The Airpods sit into your ear canals but do not seal them. Thus, the size can feel bigger or smaller depending on your ears.
If you have small ears, the skin around the ear canal can start to itch if you wear Airpods, even for a few minutes.
On the other hand, if you have big ears like me, you’ll constantly keep pushing the Airpods deeper into your ears to get a good fit. This constant action of pushing Airpods deeper into the ear canals can tire your ears and cause ear pain.
If you’re an AirPods Pro user and still feel discomfort, use the correct size silicon eartips within the box.
Solution: Before purchasing the AirPods, visit the nearest Apple store and try them on. It’ll give you the right idea of whether the AirPods fit your ears correctly or if you should spend more money and get the AirPods Pro.
Tip: Before following the above solution, ask the Apple staff to thoroughly clean the Airpods before wearing them.
4. Friction and Pressure
Due to the absence of silicon eartips, the Airpods’ plastic parts can cause itching and ear sores.
The plastic parts of regular AirPods constantly rub against the skin. Many users have complained on Apple’s discussion forums that they’ve gotten ear sores while using Airpods.
The condition worsens while walking or jogging, especially when pushing it deep into your ears to get a good fit.
The skin around your ear canals is sensitive. Hence, when it rubs against the Airpod’s plastic parts, it causes friction and irritates your ears.
Solution: If your ears hurt when you use Airpods, or worse you get ear sores, visit a doctor and check your ears. If the problem persists, avoid using earbuds and switch to on-ear or over-ear headphones.
5. Earwax Buildup
Our ears consider earbuds as foreign objects and earwax production increases every time you use them.
Similarly, using Airpods causes earwax to build inside your ear canals. It is our body’s physiological process to prevent them from further entering the ears.
However, the production of earwax varies from person to person. Some people notice excess earwax buildup while using earbuds.
The excess earwax, coupled with loud sound from Airpods, causes immense strain on the ear drums, and the ears start to pain.
In this situation, I’ve felt the AirPods Pro is a bigger culprit since they sit further inside the ears than regular AirPods.
Solution: If you suffer from excess earwax buildup, clean your ears regularly and have good ear hygiene. Some people suffer from excess earwax buildup after using earbuds only for a few minutes.
If you suffer from the same, Airpods/earbuds aren’t ideal for you. You should consider switching to on-ear or over-ear headphones.
Conclusion
Personally, I love the AirPods Pro and, at the same time, despise the regular AirPods. I find them uncomfortable and wonder why Apple would design something like this, but that’s my opinion.
I know a few people who use AirPods regularly and find earbuds with silicone eartips uncomfortable to wear.
If AirPods hurt your ears, I recommend returning them and getting the AirPods Pro.
Were you able to find the exact reason why Airpods hurt your ears? If not, leave your question in the comments, and I’ll try to offer you a solution.