What I’m saying is that bone conduction, including tight seals of earbuds, or even use of earplugs in certain environments (roadies etc), might actually be far worse than the sound coming into the ear canal by air conduction. This seems to be my experience.
I was asking if by not exposing the inner ear to sound pressure, but instead vibration through the bone, it would do less damage.
I wasn’t looking to cover tinnitus, but to avoid making it worse.