Loud Music and Hearing Loss
According to the philosophy of a famous reggae artist and hordes of other wailers, music is best enjoyed when played at volumes loud enough to disturb the neighbors. Those more into dance are more into the proximity to the source of music, with some even sleeping in the speaker box. Be that as it may, this enjoyment has a personal price, much higher than simply disturbing the neighborhood.
Eventually, they will lose the battle to deafness, even as neighbors’ complaints serve as warning signs. The police are called in to maintain peace and order, not to protect one from oneself. When it comes to the risks associated with loud music, everyone who hears it is affected, from temporary overnight hearing loss to longer term loss. There are many, unaware of the consequences because no public education campaigns have been launched, who will suffer permanent damage.
I think the risks should be told far and wide. The radio has been our venue for sporadic warnings on the issue. We have taken little action this year, as we are constricted by the effects of the recession. A greater threat to the ear today is digital technology, which allows greater, undistorted volumes.
Greater numbers have been frequenting nightclubs, which have been known to affect hearing. The British, Canadians, and Americans have been warned of the danger of noise 85 decibels and above, but here has been no such research or campaign. Out of the two thirds of youth ages 18 30 who go clubbing regularly, three fourths go home with their ears ringing, according to the Guardian, a British newspaper, in reporting the research of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf in Britain.
Less than half are aware that tinnitus is a symptom of hearing loss, and two fifths are aware that this kind of damage is irreparable. In most cases the ringing noise disappears within 24 hours, but prolonged and repeated exposure to loud music can result in permanent tinnitus or hearing loss. An educational program, “Don’t Lose the Music,” was launched to inform clubbers and music lovers of these dangers.
Being conducted in the US and Canada are like programs. The American Tinnitus Association does both research and campaign implementation on the effects of loud music in the US. Canada has not left behind its citizens in terms of having these programs. Young persons often come in for treatment for hearing loss related to loud music, according to local experts. Because no research has concluded that deafness can be caused by loud music, no corresponding epidemiological studies can be conducted.
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