Earplugs at a concert? Hearing aids at a recital in Denver, CO? Yes, we understand how counterintuitive that sounds. You go to concerts to listen to some good music, right? So why would you want to look a lot less cooler and cover your ears? Won’t that lessen the overall experience?
Music legends like Coldplay have started a campaign urging fans to understand the importance of wearing earplugs when going to gigs, as constant exposure to loud music can cause permanent hearing damage. But, you’ll only be at a show in front of enormous speakers for a few hours.
So how much damage will this cause your ears that you’ll end up needing hearing aids in the future?
Why you should consider wearing earplugs at gigs
We all go to concerts to hear and genuinely enjoy music. If you drove for hours to see your favorite band and spent all that money to have a good time, why should you stop those fine notes and melodies from getting through your ear canals? Here’s a simple answer: everything in excess is bad for you.
If you don’t take the necessary steps to take care and protect your ears as early as now, you may no longer be able to enjoy your fave band’s music later in your life. And we’re not just talking about entertainment.
Even engaging in actual conversation is going to be extremely difficult, as you won’t be able to fully hear speech and all the other types of sounds you used to enjoy.
Hearing loss is a lot more common than you think
Interestingly enough, hearing loss is highly associated with the amount of noise you get exposed to during your lifetime. About 90% of hearing loss cases are connected to a person’s sound exposure or his vulnerability to loud noises.
If we look at the numbers alone, statistics show that around 26 million Americans suffer from a type of noise-induced hearing loss that could have been completely prevented had the person took the simple yet necessary measures to protect their hearing.
In just a single day, a person can cause some serious damage in their entire auditory system if they’re not careful enough. Imagine the amount of damage your hearing can suffer in one day if you attend loud music festivals.
Stay away from the sources of loud music
If you’re a concert regular, you’ll notice how sometimes, after every show, you’ll experience some headaches and even some ringing in your ears. Some concert venues, especially smaller ones, don’t have the best sound systems,
Try to have a conversation with someone standing two meters away from you. If you can barely hear them talk, that means the hair cells inside your ears have been damaged. So, in addition to wearing earplugs, make sure you’re not standing too close to the speakers, especially if you’re at the barricade.
Not sure what type of earplugs to wear? Go for the ones that reduce the level of sounds that goes through your ears evenly. Professionals musicians use a specific type that allows sound to be filtered properly instead of completely blocking it.