Apple Hearing Study unveils new insights on tinnitus

Apple has shared an update on its Apple Hearing Study, providing new insights into tinnitus.

Conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan, the study is one of the largest surveys on tinnitus, analyzing data from over 160,000 participants using Apple devices.

Key findings reveal that 77.6% of participants have experienced tinnitus, characterized by the perception of sound without an external source. The study shows that daily tinnitus prevalence increases with age, with those aged 55 and older three times more likely to experience it daily compared to participants aged 18-34. Men reported a slightly higher incidence of daily tinnitus than women.

Participants employed various methods to manage tinnitus, including using noise machines, listening to nature sounds, and practicing meditation. The primary reported cause of tinnitus was noise trauma or exposure to high noise levels, cited by 20.3% of participants.

Apple highlighted several ways its devices support hearing health:

• Noise app: Available on the Apple Watch, it notifies users of potentially harmful environmental noise levels, while the iPhone's Health app tracks sound exposure history.
• Environmental sound levels: Users can monitor sound levels on the iPhone and Apple Watch to ensure safe exposure.
• Active Noise Cancellation and Loud Sound Reduction mode: Features on AirPods Pro and AirPods Max help manage external sounds.
• Reduce loud audio: iPhone settings allow users to limit headphone volume to protect hearing.

The Apple Hearing Study aims to enhance understanding of sound exposure and its impact on hearing health. With approximately 400 million hours of environmental sound level data collected, the study also contributes to the World Health Organization's Make Listening Safe initiative. For more details, refer to Apple's full press release.