Protecting Your Hearing as a Musician
Information and Recommendations for Student Musicians from the National Association of Schools of Music Performing Arts Medicine Association听
Disclaimer: The following information is generic and advisory in nature. It is not a substitute for professional, medical judgments. It should not be used as a basis for medical treatment. If听you are concerned about your hearing or think you may have suffered hearing loss, consult听a licensed medical professional.
Introduction
In working toward a degree in music, you are joining a profession with a long and honored听history. Part of the role of any professional is to remain in the best condition to practice the profession. For all of you, as aspiring musicians, this involves safeguarding your hearing health.听
Whatever your plans after graduation 鈥 whether they involve playing, teaching, engineering,听or simply enjoying music 鈥 you owe it to yourself and your fellow musicians to do all you听can to protect your hearing. As you may know, certain behaviors and your exposure to certain sounds can, over time, damage your hearing. You may be young now, but you鈥檙e never too young for the onset of hearing loss. In fact, in most cases, noise - related hearing loss doesn鈥檛 develop overnight. (Well, some does, but we鈥檒l address that issue later in this document.) But听the majority of noise-induced hearing loss happens gradually.
So the next time you find yourself blasting music through those tiny earbuds of your iPod or听turning up the volume on your amp, ask yourself, 鈥淎m I going to regret this someday?鈥 You听never know; you just might. And as a musician, you cannot afford to risk it. The bottom line is this: If you鈥檙e serious about pursuing a career in music, you need to protect your hearing. The way you hear music, the way you recognize and differentiate pitch, the way you play music; all are directly connected to your hearing. Do yourself a favor: protect it. I promise you won鈥檛 regret it.
Music and Noise
You may be wondering why we鈥檙e referring to music 鈥攖his beautiful form of art and self-expression鈥攁s 鈥渘oise.鈥澨鼿ere鈥檚 why: What we know about hearing health comes from medical research and practice.听
Both are based in science where 鈥渘oise鈥 is a general term for sound. Music is simply one kind of sound. Obviously, there are thousands of others. In science-based work, all types of sound, including music, are regularly categorized as different types of noise Terminology aside, it鈥檚 important to remember this fundamental point: A sound that it too loud, or too loud for too long, is dangerous to hearing health, no matter what kind of sound it is or whether we call it noise, music, or something else. Music itself is not the issue. Loudness and its duration are the issues. Music plays an important part in hearing health, but hearing health is far larger than music. All of us, as musicians, are responsible for our art. We need to cultivate a positive听relationship between music and our hearing health. Balance, as in so many things, is an听important part of this relationship.
Noise-Induced Permanent Hearing Loss
The ear is made up of three sections, the outer, middle, and inner ear. Sounds must pass through all three sections before signals are sent to the brain. Here鈥檚 the simple explanation of how we experience sound: Sound, in the form of sound waves, enters the outer ear. These waves travel through the bones of the middle ear. When they arrive in the inner ear, they are converted into听electrical signals that travel via neural passages to the brain. It is then that you experience听鈥渉earing鈥 the sound. Now, when a loud noise enters the ear, it poses a risk to the ear鈥檚 inner workings. For instance, a very loud sound, an explosion, for example, or a shotgun going off at close range, can actually dislodge the tiny bones in the middle ear, causing conductive hearing听loss, which involves a reduction in the sound level experienced by the listener and a reduction in the listener鈥檚 ability to hear faint sounds. In many cases, this damage can be repaired with surgery. But loud noises like this are also likely to send excessive sound levels into the inner ear, where permanent hearing damage occurs. The inner ear, also known as the cochlea, is where most hearing-loss-related ear damage tends to occur. Inside the cochlea are tiny hair cells that are responsible for transmitting sound waves to the brain. When a loud noise enters the inner ear, it can damage the hair cells, thus impairing their ability to send neural impulses to the brain.
The severity of a person鈥檚 noise-induced hearing loss depends on the severity of the damage to these hair cells. The extent of the damage to these cells is normally related to the length and frequency of a person鈥檚 exposure to loud sounds over long periods of time. Because noise-induced hearing loss is painless, you may not realize that it鈥檚 happening at first. Then suddenly one day you will realize that you鈥檙e having more and more trouble hearing high frequency sounds 鈥搕he ones that are the most high-pitched. If you don鈥檛 start to take precautions then, your hearing loss may eventually also affect your ability to perceive both speech sounds and music.It is very important to understand that these hair cells in your inner ear cannot regenerate. Any damage done to them is permanent. At this time, there is simply no way to repair or undo the damage.
FACT: According to the American Academy of Audiology, approximately 36 million Americans have hearing loss. One in three developed their hearing loss as a result of exposure to noise.
Noise-Induced Temporary Hearing Loss
It is听also important to note that not all noise-induced hearing loss is necessarily permanent. Sometimes, after continuous, prolonged exposure to a loud noise, we may experience what鈥檚 called 鈥渘oise-induced temporary hearing loss.鈥
During temporary hearing loss, known as Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS), hearing ability听is reduced. Outside noises may sound fuzzy or muted. Normally, this lasts no more than 16听to 18 hours, at which point your hearing levels will return to normal. Often during this Temporary Threshold Shift, people will experience tinnitus, a medical condition characterized by a ringing, buzzing, or roaring in the ears. Tinnitus may last only a few minutes, but it can also span several hours, or, in extreme instances, last indefinitely. Also, if you experience a series of temporary hearing losses, you maybe well on the way to permanent damage sometime in the future.
What All CSUF Musicians Should Do
1. Stay informed. Awareness is the key. Like many health-related issues, prevention is much easier and less expensive than cures. Take time to read available information concerning injuries associated with your art.
2. Musicians might find the following books helpful (copies of these and many other print resources are on display in the Performance Science Centre Lab):听
Conable, Barbara.听What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body听(GIA Publications,2000)听
Klickstein, Gerald.听The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness听(Oxford, 2009)听
Norris, Richard N.听The Musician's Survival Manual听(International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians, 1993)听
3. Make one appointment each semester in the Performance Science Centre Lab (PSCL) in CPAC 261 to be evaluated for excessive muscular tension buildup as you play, sing, or conduct. Review the results with your applied music instructor. The PSCL has software and peripherals for monitoring with graphs, video recording, and audio recording your technical approach. ProFormaVision uses surface electromyography (sEMG) to take readings of microvolts produced in the primary muscle groups used in performing, backed up with real time video recording from two cameras, and audio recording. VoceVista is designed to give real time spectrum analysis and electroglottograph for singers. The PSCL is manned 6 hours per week (please see the door for drop-in office hours) and additional times can easily be arranged by contacting the Assistant Director or one of the Directors of the lab.
Other links:
, the world's leading authority on musical assessment, actively supporting and encouraging music learning for all.
, an organization comprised of dedicated medical professionals, artists educators, and administrators with the common goal of improving the health care of the performing artist.
, founded in 1989 for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of听voice disorders.
, conducts research, educates vocologists, and disseminates information about voice and speech.
, recognized locally, regionally and nationally as a leading institution for the treatment and prevention of voice disorders. At the heart of the Center is a professional team comprised of experts from the University of Michigan Health System and UM School of Music, encompassing the fields of Laryngology, Speech Pathology, and Vocal Arts
Noise Levels and Risk
How do you know when a noise or sound is too loud, when it鈥檚 a threat to your hearing health? Most experts agree that prolonged exposure to any noise or sound over 85 decibels (dB)* can cause hearing loss.听
Two important things to remember:听
1. The longer you are exposed to a loud noise, the greater the potential for hearing loss.
2. The closer you are to the source of a loud noise, the greater the risk听 that you鈥檒l experience some damage to your hearing mechanisms. At this point, it helps to have some frame of reference.
How loud are certain noises? Consider these common sounds, their corresponding decibel levels, and the recommended maximum exposure times established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a branch of the Centers for Disease听Control and Prevention (CDC).听
*NIOSH-recommended exposure limits听
You can listen to sounds under 85 dB for as long as you like. There is no risk involved. For sounds in this lower decibel range, listening to them for hours on end does not pose any听real risk to your hearing health.听85 dB is the magic number. Sounds above the听85听dB threshold听pose a potential threat to听your hearing when you exceed the maximum recommended exposure time.
MP3 players at full volume, lawnmowers, and snowblowers: 100 dB.
Maximum exposure time: 15 minutes
Did you know that normally, MP3听players generate about 85 dB at one-third of their maximum听volume, 94 dB at half volume,听and 100 dB or more at full volume? Translated into daily exposure time, according to NIOSH听Sound听Intensity (dB).听
Sounds below the 85 dB threshold:
Whisper:听30 dB (safe; no maximum)
Moderate听Rainfall:听50 dB听(safe; no maximum)
Conversation (average):听60 dB听(safe; no maximum)
Freeway Traffic:听70 dB听(safe; no maximum)
Alarm Clock:听80 dB听(safe; no maximum)
Sounds at or above听the 85 dB threshold and recommended exposure times (approximate):
Blender, Blow-dryer:听90 dB;听2 hours
MP3 Player (full volume), Lawnmower:听100 dB;听15听minutes
Rock Concerts, Power Tools:听110 dB;听2 minutes
Jet Plane Take-off:听120 dB;听Unsafe, Immediate risk
Sirens, Jackhammers:听130 dB;听Unsafe, Immediate risk
Gunshots, Fireworks (close range):听140;听Unsafe, Immediate risk
(85 dB equals 8 hours, 94 dB equals 1 hour, and 100 dB equals 15 minutes)
Do听yourself and be mindful of your volume.听Also,听remember to wear earplugs or earmuffs when you mow the lawn or when you听use a snowblower.听When you鈥檙e dealing with sounds that produce between 120 and 140 dB, you鈥檙e putting听yourself at risk for almost immediate damage. At these levels, it is imperative that you听utilize protective ear-coverings. Better yet, if it鈥檚 appropriate, avoid your exposure to these听sounds altogether.
FACT: More than 30 million Americans expose themselves to hazardous sound levels on a听regular basis.
Musicians and听Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
More and more is being written about the sound levels of certain musical groups.听It鈥檚 no secret that many rock concerts expose performers and audiences to dangerously听high levels of noise. The ringing in your ears after a blaring rock concert can tell you that.听But now professional and college music ensembles are under similar scrutiny.听It鈥檚 true that musicians are exposed to elevated levels of sound when they rehearse and听perform music. But that doesn鈥檛 equal automatic risk for hearing loss.
Take for instance a typical practice session on the piano. When taken at close range to the听instrument over a limited period of time, a sound level meter fluctuates between a reading听of 60 and 70 decibels. That鈥檚 similar in intensity to your average conversation (60dB). There听will, of course, be moments when the music peaks and this level rises. But these moments听are not sustained over several hours. At least not under normal practice conditions.
While the same is true for most instruments, it is important to understand that certain听instrumental sections tend to produce higher sound levels. Sometimes these levels relate to听the piece of music being performed and to notational requirements (pianissimo, fortissimo);听other times, theselevels are what naturally resonate from the instrument.听For example, string sections tend to produce decibel levels on the lower end of the spectrum,听while brass, percussion, and woodwind sections generally produce decibel levels at the听higher end of the听spectrum.
What鈥檚 important is that you are mindful of the overall volume of your instrument and of听those around you. If you鈥檙e concerned about volume levels, share your concerns with your听instructor.
FACT: Approximately 50% of musicians have experienced some degree of hearing loss.
Mindful Listening
It鈥檚 important to think about the impact noise can have on your hearing health when you:
鈥⑻鼳ttend concerts
鈥⑻齈lay听your instrument
鈥⑻鼳djust听the volume of your car stereo
鈥⑻齃isten to your radio, CD player, and MP3 player.
Here are some simple ways to听test if the music is too loud.听It鈥檚 too loud (and too听dangerous) when:
鈥⑻齓ou have to raise your voice to be heard.听
鈥⑻齓ou can鈥檛 hear someone who鈥檚 3 feet away from you.听
鈥⑻齌he speech around you sounds muffled or dull after you leave a noisy area.听
鈥⑻齓ou experience tinnitus (pain, ringing, buzzing, or roaring in your ears) after you leave听a noisy area.
Basic Protection for Musicians
When evaluating your risk for hearing loss, ask yourself the following questions:听
鈥⑻鼿ow frequently am I exposed to noises and sounds above 85 decibels?听
鈥⑻齏hat can I do to limit my exposure to such loud noises and sounds?听
鈥⑻齏hat听personal behaviors and practices increase my risk of hearing loss?
鈥⑻鼿ow can I be proactive in protecting my hearing and the hearing of those around me?
As musicians, it鈥檚 vital that you protect your hearing whenever possible. Here are some听simple ways to reduce your risk of hearing loss:听
鈥⑻齏hen possible, avoid situations that put your hearing health at risk.听
鈥⑻齊efrain from behaviors which could compromise听your hearing health and the health of听others.
鈥⑻齀f you鈥檙e planning to be in a noisy environment for any significant amount of time, try听to maintain a reasonable distance from the source of the sound or noise. In other听words, there鈥檚 no harm in enjoying a fireworks display, so long as you鈥檙e far away from听the launch point.
鈥⑻齏hen attending loud concerts, be mindful of the location of your seats. Try to avoid听sitting or standing too close to the stage or to the speakers, and use earplugs.
鈥⑻齂eep the volume of your music and your listening devices at a safe level.听
鈥⑻齊emember to take breaks during a rehearsal. Your ears will appreciate this quiet time.
鈥⑻齍se earplugs or other protective devices in noisy environments and when using noisy听equipment.
We hope this resource information听has made you think more carefully about your own听hearing health. Just remember that all the knowledge in the world is no match for personal听responsibility. We鈥檝e given you the knowledge and the tools; now it鈥檚 your turn. You are听responsible for your exposure to all sorts of sounds, including music. Your day-to-day听decisions have a great impact on your hearing health, both now and years from now.
Do yourself a favor. Be smart. Protect your听precious commodity: protect your hearing ability.
Information and Research听Hearing Health Project Partners
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General Information on Acoustics
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, a primer
Health and Safety Standards Organizations
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Medical Organizations Focused on Hearing Health
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Protect Your Hearing Every Day
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Other Organizations Focused on Hearing Health
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