Panashe
Do you spend an alarming amount of time with your headphones on? Maybe you are a professional gamer, a producer, an editor, or even just a music enthusiast … Whatever the reason, you might have been shocked after noticing an indentation on your skull where your headphones used to be once you have removed them! This leads us to the pressing debate of whether excessive use of headphones can dent your head?
In this article we will discuss:
- Whether headphones are capable of causing damage
- What can you do if you are still concerned
- Related Underlying conditions that could be cause for concern
Can headphones dent your head?
We have all been told that headphones and earphones are the highway towards hearing loss and ear infections. But if the dent in your head is frightening you more than the possibility of developing tinnitus then you will be relieved to know that the answer is no, headphones cannot cause permanent damage to your head.
Although the presence of a dent on your head or a fold in your hair may raise some eyebrows, it is only temporary. Headphones cannot single-handedly cause permanent indentation on the skull. The pressure put on the skull if the headphones fit tightly is usually the cause of what appears to be a dent. However, these are only superficial impressions that will disappear with time.
Your skull is a very strong bone and therefore no matter how tight the headphones are they should not be able to permanently damage your skull. Any lasting dent would point towards an underlying problem or disease.
If this dent is annoying or if it ruins your anesthetic, here are some things you could do to alleviate the situation:
Firstly, try to loosen the fit of the headphones to release some of the pressure. You can do this by wearing the headphones on the back of your head (closer to your neck), instead of right at the top of your head. Or you can create a layer in between your head and the headphones by wearing a cap or hat. This would make a dent post-use less likely.
Secondly, try to reduce the amount of time that you use your headphones in general. This would give your skull more time to recover and reduce the pressure placed on the bone.
Lastly, if you are still not satisfied you can invest in a new pair of quality headphones. You can purchase there specifically with the intent to optimize your comfort. So, make sure they fit your head shape better and have more cushioning or padding to ensure that your head is protected.
What to do if you are still concerned:
Make sure that you have checked multiple times. Make an effort to check how long it takes for the dent to form once you have put on the headphones. As well as whether it goes away at all after you have taken them off. If it does go away, check how long it takes to disappear. You could also ask a family member or friend to have a look in order to get a different perspective.
You’ve triple-checked and you are sure that the dent in your head is not simply a temporary impression… Then go see a doctor immediately! This could be pointing towards an underlying pathological condition that is affecting your body and causing the headphones to be more damaging than usual. It can also mean that the dent was already there prior to the use of headphones and you had not noticed. The only way to be sure, however, is to seek advice from a trusted medical professional.
Related underlying conditions that could be causing prolonged or permanent indentation:
Osteoporosis
With this condition, the creation of new bone in your body is not on par with the removal of older bones. As a result of this, your bones become weak and brittle because they lose strength and density. This can make them prone to breakage and indentation. An official diagnosis for this condition needs to be made by a doctor.
Trauma
Trauma can relate to any serious injury to the body. In this case, a significant injury to the head could cause trauma. This could result in a fracture to the skull which could lead to a dent or impression. This can be extremely dangerous and it requires emergency medical attention.
Gorham’s disease
Symptoms for this disease may include bone pain, swelling, sensitivity, and fragility. This disease is a very rare disorder that causes bone loss. It is commonly found when there is abnormal blood vessel growth. The bone loss can start in a specific area/bone and spread to different bones/areas or into the tissue.
Paget’s disease of the bone
This disease disrupts your body’s natural recycling process. This causes problems in replacing old bone tissue with new bone. As the disease progresses, bones become weak or fragile. Official diagnosis needs to be made by a medical doctor, however, this disease may go symptomless for a long time. Once the systems start to appear they can include bones breaking or deforming.
Bone cancer (tumor/bone neoplasm)
Bone cancer involves the growth of unusual cells in the bone. This can be caused by an injury not healing in the correct way, genetic predispositions, and radiation therapy. It can also be inherited from cancer already in other parts of the body.
Congenital skull indentation
The word congenital refers to a characteristic present from one’s birth. Therefore, the majority of these cases are related to obstetrics trauma. This mostly is associated with the birth process and how the baby was positioned in their mother’s womb. A condition called craniosynostosis is also a possibility if the bones in a baby’s head fuse prematurely.
The final diagnosis is that headphones cannot cause any permanent bone damage. Wearing your headphones for too long when they are too tight can cause temporary impressions that can look like dents. There are many ways to try and avoid this problem.
If you notice that there is in fact a dent in your skull, consult with a doctor in order to rule out any serious problems.
