Rock & Pop Musicians And noise.

Rock and pop musicians are at risk of having noise induced hearing loss the same way industrial workers do. Loss of hearing may be considered an occupational injury among musicians. A Spanish study among 60 young musicians and 60 youngsters in the control group with an average age of 26 years found a connection between being a musician and suffering from noise induced hearing loss.

More symptoms of NIHL were found among the musicians. At 4,000 Hz frequency, or high pitched sounds, the audiometer showed significant differences between musicians and non-musicians. Although young musicians did not suffer from hearing loss at the time of the study, almost 7 percent already suffered from permanent tinnitus, and 17 percent had experienced temporary ringing sounds in their ears.

Why should you protect your ears from noise?

The best defense against noise-induced hearing loss is to stay out of hazardous noise areas. But when spending any amount of time in a noisy environment, use hearing protection devices. When used correctly, hearing protection devices (HPDs) help prevent hearing loss. And always remember, that the discomfort of wearing them, if any, is nothing compared to the permanent effects and discomfort of a hearing impairment or a worsened hearing loss.

Using earplugs or earmuffs can be an effective measure to protect your hearing in noisy environments at work or at play. In addition, handcrafted custom-fitted ear molds with filters are available, often at considerable cost, but well worth the price for those who wear hearing protection frequently.

Tactical Ear Protectors ,these are the Listening muffs that help protect against harmful noise while amplifying low level sounds. They are a real plus for shooters with less than perfect hearing. Electronics limits amplified sound to 82 dB. Features include easy storage and portability and they are lightweight (8.8oz). Amplifies low-level sounds up to 19 dB. Stereo microphones enhance sound localization. Independent volume controls are standard on each cup.

They are excellent for hunting applications and for persons with pre-existing hearing loss. Impulse noise attenuated immediately. Features dual stereo volume controls. Wide soft padded headband distributes weight while two-point suspension exerts low pressure for comfortable long-term use. Soft liquid foam-filled ear cushions provide added comfort. Four 1.5 V long life AAA batteries provide 200+ hours of service.

You can find out more here

Gunshot blasts pose a serious hazard to hearing

The impulse noise from firearms is as intense as 132-165 Db and thus extremely dangerous to
hearing.
A Polish study including 18 hunters and 8 police trainees, with average ages of 46.2 years and
25.2 years, respectively, found that as many as 72.2 percent of hunters suffered from hearing
loss. Only 11.1% had completely normal hearing, and the remaining 16.7% had normal hearing
only in the ear furthest away from the rifle.
The hunters had never used hearing protection while hunting. The police trainees had always
used hearing protection when practising target shooting and none of them suffered from
measurable hearing loss.
In a comparison of the two groups their hearing was examined before and after a number of
test gunshots. Changes were noted in the hearing of the hunters, whereas no measurable
changes were found in the police trainees after the test shots. The latter group wore hearing
protection throughout the test shooting.
The study indicated that long-term exposure to gunshot blasts is not the only hazard when
using firearms. Even short-term exposure can cause temporary hearing damage and make the
ear more susceptible to noise damage later on.
On the plus side, the study confirmed that hearing protection prevents hearing loss. The use of
hearing protection is therefore highly recommended when using firearms.
Source; International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
http://www.all-about-the-human-ear.com/hearingprotection.html

What is deafness from noise?

Deafness or hearing impairment resulting from prolonged exposure to loud noise is most frequently associated with industrial workplaces, airports etc. The damaging effects of this kind of noise are also the most studied type of noise-induced hearing loss.


But according to an article in "The Hearing Review", February 1999, by otolaryngolist Ken Einhorn, up to 52 % of classical musicians and up to 30 % of rock or pop musicians suffer from music-induced hearing loss, MIHL. It is hardly surprising that music can cause damage while on the job. The sound pressure of a large concert orchestra may reach 112 dB - of amplified rock bands even up to 130 dB, far more than that accepted in an industrial environment.

For the musicians who are regularly subjected to this kind of noise, the resulting problems can be devastating described as noise induced hearing loss. Symptoms begin with losing the ability to hear high-frequency sounds and tones.

In many cases, this causes problems for musicians and singers who must be able to hear and play high notes equally as well as low ones in order to play or sing along with other orchestra members. Often, a musician who suffers from loss of high frequency hearing will try to compensate by playing louder at high-pitched notes, which leads to an artistically unacceptable performance.

As the problem grows, the musician might react oversensitively: suffer from increased blood pressure, headaches, fatigue or experience some sounds or instruments as being painfully loud, a state that often leads to tinnitus.

Another common symptom is the inability to perceive changes in pitch. This state, known as displacusis, is extremely problematic for singers, who have to be in control of their voice and stay in tune at all times. A hearing-impaired singer is also at risk of damaging his or her own her voice by constantly singing louder in order to monitor his/her own voice.

http://www.all-about-the-human-ear.com