A concert from your favorite band at the Sphere or the House of Blues makes for the perfect evening. One way to make the evening even better is to take a few precautions to ensure it doesn’t end with muffled hearing or ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
The Impact of Loud Music on Your Ears
To understand how loud noise can impact your ears, it helps to understand how hearing works. When a musician plays music, it takes a few steps before your brain processes it:
- Sound waves travel from the source to the outer ear
- The outer ear sends the sound waves to the eardrum
- The sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate
- The ossicles, three small bones in the middle ear, amplify the vibrations
- The vibrations enter the cochlea, a fluid-filled, spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear, and ripple the fluid inside
- The moving fluid stimulates tiny hair cells lining the cochlea
- The hair cells translate the movement into energy and send it along the auditory nerve to the brain, which understands it as sound
Noise-related hearing loss, affecting approximately 5% of the global population,[1] stems from issues in the inner ear. When a loud noise enters the cochlea, it can overstimulate the hair cells, causing them to bend or die. If enough of the hair cells die, you will have measurable hearing loss and, often, tinnitus.
Protecting Your Hearing
While concerts can get pretty loud, they don’t need to end in hearing loss. The first step in protecting your hearing is to bring earplugs. A few types of earplugs you can try include:
- Pre-molded. Pre-molded earplugs are usually made of rubber, silicone or plastic. They’re available in a variety of options ranging from short-depth plugs for sleeping to high-fidelity plugs with special filters for clearer music.
- Disposable. Disposable plugs are a cost-effective option for infrequent concert-goers. You can find them at most drugstores or, often, at the concert venue.
- Custom. Custom earplugs are specially molded to your ears for premium protection. They will require a professional earmold and usually take at least a few weeks to arrive.
In addition to wearing earplugs, you should take regular breaks from the music. You don’t need to leave the venue, but stepping away from the speakers to get a drink or use the bathroom will give your ears some relaxation time.
For more information about caring for your hearing during the summer concert season, or to schedule a hearing test with one of our specialists, contact Nevada Ear + Sinus Institute today.
[1] Natarajan, N., Batts, S., & Stankovic, K. M. (2023). Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. Journal of clinical medicine, 12(6), 2347. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12062347
Call Nevada Ear + Sinus Institute at (702) 735-7668 for more information or to schedule an appointment.