Thursday, July 13, 2017

Summer is prime time for music festivals and concerts.  Sharing music outdoors with friends is a blast (oops).  But, when you pack that picnic dinner remember to take along some hearing protection!  Ear plugs work.

Researchers published a study that was done in the Netherlands (JAMA, Otolaryngology  Head -Neck Surgery online).  A group of people who attended outdoor music concerts were recruited for an experiment through social media. Half were randomly assigned to use ear protectors, and the other half did not use any.  Hearing was checked for "temporary threshold shifts" following exposure.  Bottom line: there was a big difference between the two groups. Temporary hearing loss occured in 8% or the protected group, but 42% in the "naked-ear" group.  The researchers concluded:  "Therefore, the use of earplugs should be actively promoted and encouraged to avoid noise-induced hearing loss."

Here are some suggestions to make concert enjoyment safe for your ears.

Pick you seats carefully. Try to avoid being too close to the stage and the array of loudspeakers.

Keep the children home.  Children's ears are especially vulnerable to loud sound levels, and a really loud concert can cause damage.

Use hearing protection.  There are many options: we sell good quality soft foam ear plugs in all of our offices.  We also make custom ear protectors in a variety of materials and colors for personalized comfort and appearance.  Some are specifically geared for musicians. Also consider noise-cancelling headphones. Generally the volume levels are so high that you will enjoy the music even with hearing protection.

Check the levels.  There are phone Apps that allow you to check volume levels at concerts. If the level is over 90dB, consider moving to a quieter area.

Take a break.  If the music is loud and you don't have hearing protection, then try to limit your exposure, and take one minute breaks for the action from time to time.  Some "time-outs" give your ears a rest and may help keep your ears healthy.

Keep those ears hearing fully...after all, if you love music, you will want to enjoy outdoor concerts for many summers to come.

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