Mixmag just discovered a study by EDM.com that 64% of concert attendees do not wear ear protection. I’ve observed this numerous times in this past year alone. The amount of festivals is only increasing but your hearing will not. Live shows are fun but the older you get, you’re going to want to protect your ears. That way, you can enjoy them for even longer right?
The CDC laid out conditions for hearing loss. The maximum volume level for personal listening is 105-110dB and this is also the range for most entertainment venues. Hearing loss can happen in less than five minutes for exposure to anything just slightly above that range. Having a conversation is around 60dB, so what does that mean for conversations held in a bar with loud music and you’re shouting at each other? Let alone a live show with speakers blasting directly above you?
What Causes This?
Small sensory hair cells in the cochlea (inner ear) flatten down when sound is too high. Those send sound nerve impulses to the brain and if they flatten all the time, they will eventually die and not grow back. Thus, hearing loss. Know that distinct frequencies will induce varied responses to those hair cells and when they’re damaged you will lose distinct tones across your auditory spectrum. I’ve already got tinnitus from prolonged exposure, which is that ringing in your ears.
If you want to take action now, the CDC suggests staying away from the loudest producing sound source, limiting your time of exposure to high decibels, and bringing hearing protection. Earplugs are the easiest of these options if you prefer to live life to the extreme and stay where the sound is. Get custom earplugs for maximum protection. We’ve seen rumors of putting salt in your ear to save you from hearing loss. Mixmag also found a 2017 study on using MDMA to cure tinnitus.
Look friends, it may seem like a pain to do but your senses are what make you able to experience things. Protect them at all costs so that you can keep on living.
