With Live Music Returning, Remember to Protect Your Hearing!

When the COVID-19 hit the world in early 2020, live music was among the first economic sectors to come to a halt. In the U.S. impact began in early March, when major music events such as SXSW, Ultra Music Festival, and Coachella were canceled or indefinitely postponed. While COVID-19 is still here, we are learning collectively how to live our lives and return to some degree of normal, though it may be somewhat different than before. This includes the return to live music in live venues. There is truly no substitute for experiencing music in a crowd of others. One of the greatest powers of music is to unite people in a shared experience- as crowds of hundreds or thousands collectively hang on each note, chord change, and harmony.

With the return to live music, we must navigate what safety looks like. Do we require everyone to present proof of vaccination? Do we continue to wear masks or do we return to the unregulated way things used to be until another wave arrives and we recess? Regardless of your concert venue’s policy, the return to live music may be making some of you so excited you are ready to experience the long-lost sensation of live music while forgetting some of your previous precautions. This includes remembering hearing safety.

Measuring Decibels

Concerts and live music is an environment which is rich for hearing damage to your ears. Even a classical music concert can expose you to decibels well beyond safe listening limits. So how loud is too loud? The intensity or loudness of sound is measured in decibels. A conversation usually measures around 60dB, and the TV or street traffic outside your window can reach around 70-75dB. While sounds at this level for an extended amount of time can be irritating, your ears can handle them indefinitely without experiencing damage.

However, once sounds reach 85dB the vibrations it produces can be loud enough to damage your hearing permanently. The level and the length of exposure are both factors. At 85dB, it takes around 8 hours of constant exposure for damage to occur. However, with a 10dB increase, the time it takes for damage to occur is a little under an hour. A loud amplified live music event can easily reach between 90dB and 120dB! The high end of that can damage hearing in just a minute!

Stereocilia and Hearing 

While our outer ears are visible they are simply the collection center for sound. Once sound travels down the inner ear, it must pass through the eardrum, three of the tiniest bones of the body called the ossicles, and finally to the fluid-filled snail-shaped cochlea. As sounds travel through the auditory system in the form of vibrations, they send them through the fluid of the cochlea to stimulate tiny hair-like cells called stereocilia. Stereocilia take audio vibration and convert it to electrical impulses which are sent to the brain. This is where sound is identified and speech is interpreted. The stereocilia are incredibly susceptible to damage and when sound vibration becomes too extreme, it can cause the cells to hit the membrane wall in which they sit. This can cause stereocilia to selectively sustain damage, shatter, or become destroyed. Each time this occurs, hearing loss becomes a bit more extreme, eliminating certain tones, pitches, and frequencies from what you can hear.

Ways to protect your hearing

Don’t worry. You can still enjoy live music and not damage your hearing. It is just important to be prepared. Never go to see live music without hearing protection. This isn’t just for those of you who love to see rock, rap, and pop music live. Even classical music lovers can be exposed to decibels well above safe listening limits. Invest in hearing protection to ensure you can hear your favorite music for years to come! This can look like the use of foam earplugs, which are inexpensive and portable. For those of you who want improved protection, you may enjoy custom-fitted earplugs that are molded specifically to the shape of your ear. Others enjoy protective earmuffs. While these are conspicuous, you never know with fashion. You could be the one to start a fashion trend at the next concert you attend of outspoken loud hearing safety. Most hearing protection depending on the model can lower the decibel level by 15-33dB.

Schedule a hearing consultation

If you think you’ve already begun to feel damage to your hearing from exposure to too-loud noise, it's a good idea to schedule a hearing consultation right away. Enjoy live music for years to come. We can help find a solution for you.