Preventing Hearing Loss in the Music Industry
According to the Hearing Health Foundation, musicians are “four times as likely to develop noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) as the general public,” as well as “57% more likely to develop tinnitus.” In fact, over the years, many famous musicians have publicly spoken about their struggles with hearing impairments and loss, including Neil Young, Barbra Streisand, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, and Chris Martin. The award-winning film A Star is Born also highlighted this industry problem through the lead character Jackson Maine’s physical and emotional struggle with both noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.
HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?
Continuous exposure to loud sounds, as a musician would experience at concerts and performances, for an extended time can damage or kill the sensory hair cells in the inner ear, thus causing noise-induced hearing loss.
Tinnitus, a buzzing or ringing in the ears, can be caused by various health conditions, including noise-induced hearing loss, and can also be the side effect of certain medications.
PREVENTION METHODS:
In-Ear Monitors: These can allow musicians to listen to their music at a lower/safer sound level while performing. The monitors seal into the ear, blocking outside noise while also playing the music being produced.
Ear Plugs: These block out loud noises, allowing users to have lower-level noise exposure.
While musician hearing loss and damage is a serious condition, it is also relatively avoidable with the correct preventative measures. If you are a musician and are ready to take control of your hearing health, we offer custom-molded in-ear monitors fitted into medical-grade silicone earmolds, as well as universal fit monitors. You can learn more here. For extra tips on preventing general noise-induced hearing loss, check out this blog post.
If you think that you have noise-induced hearing loss and/or tinnitus, fill out our online Hearing Questionnaire. You can also find helpful information about Tinnitus here.
