| Risky Business
Walk down a busy street and listen carefully. Loud levels of noise are all around you, and more often than not we are not even aware of them. At work and at home we can also be subject to loud levels of noise that could be damaging to our hearing. Repeated exposure can affect anyone's hearing and if you are exposed to loud noises frequently or have symptoms of even temporary hearing loss, you should be tested by a qualified audiologist as soon as possible. All adults should have a yearly hearing check up. Most people don't think twice about having their eyes examined on a regular basis. If tests reveal that glasses are needed, then prescriptions are generally filled at once. We need to treat hearing with that same respect. Certain groups of people are more vulnerable to hearing damage by the very nature of what they do. It is no secret that musicians are in a risky business. Risky in the sense that they are exposed to high levels of sound and always compounded by the fact that musicians are exceptionally passionate about what they hear and should we say sometimes don't hear! Sound engineers and even singers are as well exposed to loud levels of music for prolonged periods which also makes them vulnerable to acquire some damage to their hearing whether in the form of a tinnitus, a hyperacusis or a hearing loss. Our aim is to make you aware of the risks your profession can incurr, encourage you to be tested with a battery of tests specially designed for you and inform you about what you can do to prevent damaging your hearing, prevent further hearing loss or increasing your tinnitus, or even how to treat tinnitus and deal with the already existing hearing loss. We are not here to tell you not to do what you love, only to let you know how you can do it more safely, hopefully for the rest of your life. Hearing loss occurs temporarily at first and then, hearing degenerates with repeated unprotected exposure and becomes permanent. Don't wait to have symptoms of hearing loss, protection is the key to prevention. Tinnitus Tinnitus, what many think of as ringing in the ears is the perception of sound without any real acoustic stimulation. Tinnitus sufferers might hear one specific type of sound or several different overlapping ones; some hear them continuously and some hear them intermittently. These phantom sounds resemble a buzzing, ringing, whistling, hissing, pulsing or other sometimes hard to identify sound. The sounds are imperceptible to others. What causes tinnitus? Although tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss, the presence of tinnitus does not necessarily mean the person is going deaf. Nor will the tinnitus itself cause a hearing loss or other illnesses. Some causes that provided the onset of tinnitus may be •middle ear infection, •dental or jaw problems •some medications •exposure to loud noises and •inner ear damage. One in four adults experience some form of tinnitus or hearing loss in the course of their life. In a small minority of people, tinnitus causes severe problems, such as anxiety, insomnia and even major depression. Musicians and people often exposed to loud levels of noise, as well as individuals from the 50-70 age group are the most likely people to experience tinnitus. It is one of the warning signs of overexposure to loud sounds. Ipod/ MP3 players and other personal listening devices users are now being added to the groups of people that possibly are at higher risk of tinnitus and should have regular hearing testing. Tinnitus treatments include medications, psychological interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy and holistic approaches such as acupuncture. At our clinic we offer an individual approach which could include the use of sound therapies either following the specific TRT : tinnitus retraining therapy for hyperacusis and tinnitus approach or combining principles of different sound therapies with the aim to alleviate the burden of an invasive, distressing tinnitus. The therapy is always applied by a certified audiologist. Amongst our audiologists some are also researchers in tinnitus at the BRAMS. Self care and injury protection specifically designed for music lovers and music professionals is strongly recommended. Regular hearing testing is advisable and your audiologist will suggest the protection and the prevention habits that can keep you from developing tinnitus or hearing loss. The information contained on this website is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Never take your hearing for granted, have it tested regularly or yearly by an audiologist. Our mission is that your hearing stays in tune for life! |
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 As a Muscian (or any professional in the music industry such as sound engineers, singers etc) you should be aware of the following: Once you damage your hearing it won't come back. Always use protection specifically designed for you: I am a piano player, do I need to worry?Although some types of performance can subject you to more risk than others, all musicians should still be tested regularly and you should always be equipped with musicians’ earplugs for prevention when required. You may also use in the ear stage monitors in order to reduce the level of the sound exposure and therefore better protect your hearing while still giving a quality performance. Why is noise hazardous to hearing? Loud sounds make significant vibrations inside the ear that will overwhelm the very delicate membranes and structures of the inner ear. The longer the exposure to loud sounds, the more risky it becomes. Why don't we avoid loud sounds? The inner ear does not usually sense sharp pain. It does not warn you when it has enough except, sometimes, with a tinnitus, after the fact. Most people think no noise pain, no danger. Wrong! Protecting your hearing • Avoid loud noise whenever possible. • Reduce the time of exposure to noise or loud sounds • Because musicians are particularly at risk, special protection is available. • Be aware that your risk increases if you are occupationally exposed to solvents or toxins or if you are taking certain drugs. • Remember that noise exposure is cumulative: if you participate into noisy activities above and beyond some professional exposure, your ears have no time to rest and the risks for damage increase proportionally • Remember, it is an employer's responsibility to provide a safe work environment. Talk to them if it is not. • You should give your ears frequent rest from noise or loud sounds. • Custom made earplugs offer a better adjustment and therefore a better protection. • Balls of cottonwool or paper tissue offer no protection. |