We all love listening to music, but our ears should not have to pay the price for our preferences. Attending music concerts is a very popular activity in USA, with approximately 32 million Americans attending at least a single music concert annually. As fun as music festivals can be, they can also harm our hearing due to the excessively loud noise from the speakers and crowds. Take steps to protect your hearing during these concerts and help prevent hearing loss.
There are several things you can do to help protect your hearing during music concerts. First and foremost, always carry some hearing protection with you, such as earplugs or earmuffs. Take frequent breaks to step out briefly to grab a drink, snack, or just simply get some air to give your ears a rest from the loud music. Make sure you position yourself far away from the direct blow of the speakers.
Music festivals are great fun and often serve alcoholic drinks, which may be tempting, but are probably not a good idea to indulge in. Restricting your alcohol consumption will help you remain alert, since drinking may reduce your sensitivity to the noise and may stop you from taking steps to protect your ears before any damage occurs.
Outdoor music festivals are more highly recommended than indoor ones where the noise may be more concentrated since they bounce off the walls and get more amplified. In outdoor locations, the noise from the music and crowds tends to dissipate more, thereby resulting in less hearing damage. Before you go for a concert, let your ears get some rest for at least a week prior to the concert. If after the concert you feel a ringing sensation or fullness in the ears that lasts more than a few days, consult a hearing care professional.
Safe hearing levels include sounds that range to a maximum of 85dB. The average music concert has noise levels that range anywhere between 100-120dB, which may cause permanent hearing damage over time. This is why wearing hearing protection and following the previous recommendations is such a good idea.
Simply giving your ears a break ever hour or so can go a long way in preventing hearing damage. Stepping out from the concert premises momentarily to take a bathroom break or grab a snack may not only help refuel and refresh you, it will also be refreshment for your ears.
Prevention is always better than the cure. This is why resting your ears prior to exposing them to concert-level noise is a good idea. Limit your personal audio time before the concert so that your ears can get some well-needed rest. This will help keep them safe and sound prior to the concert.
No symptoms of hearing loss should be taken lightly. If you feel discomfort, fullness, or ringing in the ears for more than a few days, make sure you get your ears examined by an audiologist. Even after taking precautions, hearing damage may occur due to concert attendance. Hearing loss is irreversible, so show your ears to a hearing care professional at the earliest signs of hearing loss.