Call Centre headphones

[Discoears]

Hi, my work had been telephone based for years, but has recently given me headphones to wear all day while answering the calls. The headphones cover both my ears. Does anyone have any information that this could be damaging my ears further and making my tinnitus worse?

[surviveT]

has yr T become worse ? then if so this could be reason - i wouldnt use headphones or in ear pieces myself as my severe ,loud T reacts to noise

[Discoears in reply to surviveT]

Thanks, I may just be overthinking it as only had the headset for 2 weeks. I’m just trying to get info I can pass to my work as I really don’t think I should be using them.

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

Headphones themselves are not the problem - the volume level that we may take calls at is more of an immediate issue, and the time that we spend each hour without taking breaks from phone work is another one. Believe me, I'm familiar with how difficult it is to strike that balance.🤔

If it's possible to do so - and as a reasonable adjustment made by your employer to help their staff with ongoing issues like tinnitus it may be - take a look at the OpenComm headset from Shokz, which doesn't require your ears to be covered:

uk.shokz.com/products/openc...

Male wearing a bone conduction headset, which sits atop his cheekbone.

[surreycccfan in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

Following on from what Pat said I have found it depends on what works for you and your tinnitus in your specific work environment. Depending on works for your tinnitus I can have seen folks find one of the below options work for them (I use jawbone and open ear noise cancelling depending on noise level in the working environment I am in).

- Jawbone headphones

- Full over ear noise cancelling headphones

- Open ear noise cancelling headphones

- Over ear headphones

- Single (left or right) over ear headphones

- In ear headphones

- Single (left or right) in ear headphones

Its really about finding out what works for you with your tinnitus and the noise environment. Your employers occupational health should be able to work with you on finding the right equipment but you could also maybe engage the Access to Work scheme (gov.uk/access-to-work) who help with funding equipment (with your employer) to keep people in work with significant health conditions.

Also, if you find that wearing headphones all day exacerbates your T you may want to talk to your companies occupational health about taking regular breaks to give your auditory system a break.

Hope this helps in some small way. Stay safe

[Discoears in reply to surreycccfan]

Hi, thanks. Yes, I think Occ Health need to get involved. At the moment I am taking the headphones off my ears between calls so I don't have them on every minute of the day. I will keep all the above information. Thank you

[Discoears in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

Thanks. I was going to ask to be referred to Occ Health to see what they suggest. My volume is at 100% so hopefully that is set at a safe level.

[TinnitusUKPat Partner in reply to Discoears]

100% is not a safe level - that would imply maximum volume, surely? The World Health Organisation's guidance is that we listen to sources of sound at 60% volume level for no more than 60 minutes at a time.

[Discoears in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

Yes, it is at maximum volume! I will ask to be referred to Occ Health as I really don’t want it to get any worse! I can take the headphones off after each call if it’s not too busy so I probably don’t use them for 60 mins at any one time. Thanks for your help.

[bournville]

Hi obviously your work is important but given your tinnitus condition telephone headset work is not ideal. Perhaps speak to your boss about a possible move to a different dept at the organisation you currently work?

[Discoears in reply to bournville]

Unfortunately there are no other roles in the Company I can move to. I am currently job hunting so hopefully get a job away from phones or at least headphones!