A Public Service Announcement.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/06/health/hearing-loss-loud-music/index.html
A billion at risk for hearing loss from exposure to loud music
Sandee LaMotte, special to CNN
Updated 12:20 PM ET, Fri March 6, 2015
(CNN)—"Hey dude -- can you turn your music down?"
If anyone says this to you while you're wearing your earbuds, take note: You are probably endangering your hearing.
More than one billion teens and young adults are at risk of losing their hearing, according to WHO (that's the World Health Organization, not the rock band).
It's not just old folks who suffer hearing loss. Just by listening to music at what you probably think is a normal level, or hanging out in loud bars, nightclubs and music and sporting events, you can permanently damage your hearing.
By analyzing listening habits of 12- to 35-year-olds in wealthier countries around the world, WHO found nearly 50% of those studied listen to unsafe sound levels on personal audio devices and about 40% are exposed to damaging levels of music and noise at entertainment venues.
It doesn't take much time to damage your hearing at a sports bar or nightclub. According to the WHO, "exposure to noise levels of 100 dB, which is typical in such venues, is safe for no more than 15 minutes."
You can't get it back
Once you lose your hearing, it won't come back.
Rapper Plan B and Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin know that all too well. They both suffer from tinnitus, hearing loss that causes a permanent and irritating ringing in the ears, because they didn't protect their hearing. Now they've joined forces with a British hearing loss association to warn others.
"I suffer from tinnitus," says Plan B on actionhearingloss.org. "When I first developed it, I thought it was trains rushing by my house as I live near a railway line. It was really loud and an extremely high pitched ringing in my ears. I now have to wear special earplugs when I go to bed to help stop my ears from ringing."
"Looking after your ears is unfortunately something you don't think about until there's a problem," says Martin. "I've had tinnitus for about 10 years, and since I started protecting my ears, it hasn't got any worse (touch wood). But I wish I'd thought about it earlier."
Turn down those earbuds
When it comes to personal listening devices, the level of damage you can cause to your ears is directly correlated to how long you listen and how loud the sound. "Unsafe levels of sounds can be, for example, exposure to in excess of 85dB for eight hours or 100dB for 15 minutes," says WHO.
Eighty-five decibels isn't all that loud. According to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, it's about the level of city traffic that you'd heard from inside your car.
Some 360 million of us have already suffered moderate to severe hearing loss, according to the UN Health Agency Worldwide. While that number does include factors out of our control, such as aging, genetics, birth defects, infections and disease, about half of all cases were avoidable.
That's why WHO has launched the Make Listening Safe initiative. Part of the campaign is to encourage manufacturers to create audio safety features on devices and then educate consumers on how to use them. WHO is also calling on governments to create and enforce recreational noise legislation.
"Parents, teachers and physicians can educate young people about safe listening, while managers of entertainment venues can respect the safe noise levels set by their respective venues, use sound limiters and offer earplugs and 'chill out' rooms to patrons," says WHO.
In the end, it's up to each of us to protect our own hearing. The good news is that it's easy to do. When it comes to your personal audio devices, such as your smartphone:
-- Turn the volume down. Don't go above 60%.
-- Wear noise canceling earbuds, or better yet, headphones.
-- Take "listening breaks" or only listen for just an hour a day
-- Get an app for that. Download a smartphone app to help monitor safe listening levels.
And the next time you go to a bar, nightclub, sports event or concert, use ear protection. Martin does.
"Now we always use moulded filter plugs, or in-ear monitors, to try and protect our ears," says Martin. And his kids never go to a concert without big, noise-canceling headphones.
I suffer from hearing loss and have been told by a Dr that I won't be getting it back.
Sure, loud music whatever form it comes in is a culprit, but add lawn mowers, weed eaters, chain saws, circular saws, vacuum cleaners - you name it, all contribute.
Do yourself a favor if you do not suffer from tinnitus yet or have not suffered hearing loss yet, use ear protection.
I've started taking ear protection with me to church, ha - I attend one of those progressive churches with 20 minutes of loud rock type music at the beginning, keeps my ears from ringing for the rest of the day.
There has been discussion of it here before:
Indoor football games and interstate highways must also be culprits. I attended a Sugar Bowl game (Alabama vs. Miami) in the 1990's. It was reported that the crowd noise (when Alabama was on defense) was louder than a rocket engine.
I wonder if there are some who are more susceptible to hearing loss than others when subjected to noise.
My wife, who has been yelling at me to turn music down since we met (still in our young 20's at the time) seems to be getting harder of hearing. She use to tell me to shut up now she tells me to speak up. The reason that I don't own a audiophile quality stereo system is that she won't let me turn up the little 10 watt solid state unit that we've had for thirty years up past 4.
Meanwhile, my own hearing is still pretty sharp. I can detect wildlife species from far away distances and hear subtle nuances in music and film (even at low volumes). I've worked around audio systems (PA's for music and conference meetings) and in television production (live and post-production) since I was 18 years old. As far as I can tell, my ears are still in fine working order.
My eyes ... that's a different matter. But dad did say that I'd go blind if I didn't stop. 😮 😛 😉
My eyes ... that's a different matter. But dad did say that I'd go blind if I didn't stop. 😮 😛 😉
I was warned about that too...to no avail... 😛
I think that you're correct that some people are definitely more susceptible to hearing loss and tinnitus. Sadly, I am in the susceptible category with tinnitus and a 30-40% hearing loss in my left ear. MY right is tinnitus free but also has a noticeable hearing loss.
My best friend and I had been attending concerts together for years, at least up to the point when my hearing issues started, and he has never worn earplugs and is usually as close to the stage as possible and his hearing remains just fine.
The irony is I started wearing foam plugs at every concert over 20 years ago, but apparently, the damage had already been done and has just revealed itself in the last 5 years.
Anyone reading this ...please wear plugs !
What?
What?
I can't hear you… Please repeat that… 😛
What?
I can't hear you… Please repeat that… 😛
I was waiting for a wise guy to appear and I ended up with two... 😛
What?
I can't hear you… Please repeat that… 😛
I was waiting for a wise guy to appear and I ended up with two... 😛
Say again? 😛 😛
What?
I can't hear you… Please repeat that… 😛
I was waiting for a wise guy to appear and I ended up with two... 😛
Say again? 😛 😛
I SAID... I WAS WAITING FOR A WISEGUY TO...........AH FORGET IT!... 😛 😛 😛
What!! No Sh%*, after AC/DC,Zeppelin,Deep Purple,The Who....& standing in front of columns of amps & speakers for hours...
My eyes ... that's a different matter. But dad did say that I'd go blind if I didn't stop. 😮 😛 😉
Nair works great on the palms as well. Umm, my eyes aren't so good either.
I bring ear plugs to every show and now to movies on the rare occasion I go. I find the volume in theaters worse than most of the concerts I attend. Don't always wear the plugs, but I have them just in case. Tinnitus in my left ear. Not horrid yet. When I am camping this weekend, I'll hear it then competing with the owls.
Protect those ears. I can't imagine life without music.
Blooby
I went to see Grand Funk Railroad when I was in my 20's, and my ears rang for 2 days.
Now...just a few years beyond that (well maybe a lot of years), I hear crickets in my ear & sometimes high pitch sounds.
I've gone to 2-3 shows a week in clubs, always right up front, since 1999 & I turned 55 2 days ago yet my hearing is still pretty good, so I think some folks are more susceptible to hearing loss. My ears rang for about 3 days after 2 Johnny Winter shows in the late 80s. I don't think ANYTHING could be louder than that.
My three worst volume-wise were a David Lee Roth show with Steve Vai on guitar. I remember I had a Spanish oral exam the next day, and I couldn't hear the teacher's questions. The other two were a Kinks show and a Cheaptrick show. Good lord, they were loud.
My three worst volume-wise were a David Lee Roth show with Steve Vai on guitar. I remember I had a Spanish oral exam the next day, and I couldn't hear the teacher's questions. The other two were a Kinks show and a Cheaptrick show. Good lord, they were loud.
My friends and I walked out of a Ramones show because your ears hurt. Took about three days to return to normal.
My three worst volume-wise were a David Lee Roth show with Steve Vai on guitar. I remember I had a Spanish oral exam the next day, and I couldn't hear the teacher's questions. The other two were a Kinks show and a Cheaptrick show. Good lord, they were loud.
My friends and I walked out of a Ramones show because your ears hurt. Took about three days to return to normal.
That's what you get for going to a Ramones show. JKLOL. 
I went to a Dwight Yokam show last week and the sound quality was awful. He sounded like he was speakig to you with a megaphone thru a paper bag. Extrememly loud but muffled with feedback happening throughout the show. i actually left early because it was so bad.
I'll take good loud over bad-loud any day.
Maybe my ears have just adapted to loud sounds, but it honestly seems to me that shows aren't as loud as they were years back - especially in the 70's.
Modern amplifiers and effects devices make it possible to get the distorted and over-driven sounds at much lower volume levels. The first time that I saw the Allman Brother's Band INDOORS (5 Man Band era - Atlanta - old sports arena bldg (or was it the Municipal Auditorium?)) They were INCREDIBLY LOUD!!!! Several of the shows from those days would have my ears ringing for days afterward. And yeah, some of them bordered on the threshold of actual pain to the ears.
At most of the current shows I go to, I can hear that crunch and distortion ... at levels low enough to be bothered by the talkers in the audience.
I've said for a few years that hearing aide sales or tatoo removal might be a good way to make a living in a few years.
there's still a number of loud bands around when you're in the 'line of fire'.The last AC/DC tour I found myself sitting in the 2nd row & by the time the rumble of "THUNDER!!!" kicked in I could feel my left ear 'crack' & it felt like it was bleeding.I wasn't going to blow these great seats so I reached over & tapped the security guard just in front of row 1 & motioned to my ear. Fortunately he got the message & handed me a new pkg of plugs he had in his pocket! I felt the same way at an Anthrax show recently as well. I don't think ABB & jambands are a worry though I could be wrong.
Loudest show I ever saw, hands down, was The Black Crowes. The only time where the volume was actually casing physical pain.
As to tinnitus, not faring too well on that front as the years go by. Too much headphones and ear buds over the years.
Loudest show for me ever was Robin Trower in 1994.
It was pain threshold LOUD. I mean , like Bhawk and his Crowes show, physical pain in my ears from the volume level. I was there with a friend and we went to the back of the hall and put wetted bar napkins in our ears in an attempt to dampen the screeching high end. I remember it helped some, but was still too loud. In the end, we decided to leave early as neither of us were enjoying the show. I saw Robin later when the volume, though still loud, was more bearable so I have no idea what was going on that particular night.
Second loudest of Motorhead. I swear , Lemmy's bass was so loud that he was rattling the main support beams at the 1500 capacity rock hall where I saw them. I was seriously wondering if he was causing structural damage and the roof was going to come down on us. Now THAT is ROCK music ...:)
[Edited on 3/11/2015 by les_paul_sunburst]
Bands playing in small clubs can be a problem. Many tour with full Marshall stacks - totally unnecessary in a small room. The "local, weekend warriors" are guilty of this. I was at a very small club near where I live last summer. These guys were rolling in the Marshall cabinets and 100 watt heads. I asked why they thought they needed this is a club which was maybe twice the size of an average living room. "We need to get that tone and distortion..." - the typical reply. I've seen bands play rooms bigger than this using 15 - 30 watt combo amps (sometimes mic'ed back into the PA - sometimes not) who were PLENTY loud enough.
That Marshall stack image ... people see it and think they have to have it. Just sayin'.
[Edited on 3/13/2015 by Rusty]
I've been concerned about hearing loss for a while, particularly because I enjoy music so much. I've purchased a couple pairs of earplugs from www.etymotic.com (I swear I'm not affiliated) over the years. I think someone recommended them on a Gov't Mule email list I used to receive. Anyway, they work pretty well, and they're not huge. I'll even wear them at the movies sometimes. I think Greg talked about improvising with napkins in his autobiography. I actually did that once. My friends laughed at me, but I didn't care. Also, magnesium taken shortly after the noise exposure supposedly alleviates some of the negative effects on your hearing.
[Edited on 3/11/2015 by JWT]
Here are some tips for protecting your hearing while listening to music.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/06/music-hearing-loss_n_6755058.html
Loudest for me was a Miami Grateful Dead show when Mickey pounded on the beast during a Dark Star.
I also once made the mistake of getting in front of Phil's stack at Madison Square Garden.
Early shows were rough because of the older equipment and acoustically poor venues like the Macon Coliseum, and the venues in Mobile and Dothan in the 70's. Bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rush, and Blue Oyster Cult would really turn it up. The distortion could get pretty bad.
I've purchased a couple pairs of earplugs from www.etymotic.com ...
I have earplugs from that website and they work quite well. Under $20 and you are good to go, look into it folks!
I have used paper before, napkin, tissue, whatever was handy, it works too.
A lot of really loud concerts for me.... Deep Purple, ZZ Top, the Mule, and Bob Mould numerous times......
I now have hearing aids - hearing loss on the high end, plus horrible tinnitus. These hearing aids play white noise all day to drown out the tinnitus..... had them since November.... I'll let you know if they make a difference........
Loudest was electric Hot Tuna 1974 . Did something to my skull. Also used to nuke ourselves at band practice.. Doctors recoil in horror when they look in my ears. I think what they are seeing is the sonic defense growth that developed. Hearins not so bad, I turned down the volume a long time ago.
