Should musicians wear hearing protection?
The ENT department of Puerta de Hierro Hospital in Madrid tried to find out what effect loud noise has on musicians. Loud noise can be one of the numerous causes of hearing loss, determined Jose Maria Verdaguer and colleagues. Being a rock or pop musician may be every boy’s dream, but it may be as risky as being a fireman or industrial worker. The risk to musicians’ hearing is high; some experts reckon it has become an ‘occupational injury’.
The Spanish study tested the hearing of 120 young people whose average age was 26. They were divided into two groups: 60 musicians and 60 others who formed the control group. After the conclusion of the study, the researchers found a connection between being a musician who is exposed to loud noises, and suffering from noise-induced hearing loss.
Other findings among the musicians were the following: they did not suffer from hearing loss, but around seven per cent suffered from permanent tinnitus and 17 per cent experienced temporary ringing sounds in their ears. Hearing loss does not happen overnight; but develops gradually. Researchers also suspect certain instruments such as drums and the electric guitar cause more damage than others, but more research is needed on this.
At the 58th National Conference of the Spanish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Neck and Head Pathology, the team suggested musicians wear hearing protection and have regular breaks from the loud music as this should make a difference for professional musicians.