How Hearing Aids Are a Musicians Best Friend

Many of us have listened to music a bit too loud and suffered distinct ringing in the ears for a time. But what if this became a permanent problem? For many musicians, it is.

Studies have shown that 40-50% of musicians experience tinnitus at least occasionally. Tinnitus usually affects around 12% of the global population, but it’s considerably more common with certain professions – like a musician.

A health problem such as tinnitus is challenging to live with every day, and it can severely hamper your daily routine. Musicians, whose capability to hear is vital, face an additional challenge due to tinnitus.

The Stigma of the Industry

Musicians who work in the music industry have a higher incidence of noise-induced hearing loss, which dramatically increases their risk of experiencing tinnitus. Current studies may vary, but there is a consensus that around 40% of musicians experience some tinnitus.

Many musicians are unwilling to speak openly about this issue, believing it will hurt their reputation. As a result, they suffer alone, hiding their pain from the world. Physicians may not take tinnitus seriously, which further contributes to the problem.

But those in the business of music (or musicians themselves) who suffer from tinnitus are not alone because many musicians suffer from tinnitus. But also good news: long-term relief is still possible, although there is not currently a known cure.

Hearing aids remain the best option for those with hearing loss and tinnitus. This is particularly effective for musicians and sound engineers, who may begin to hear levels and sounds previously lost to them.

What Causes Tinnitus

Many musicians suffer from tinnitus, but generally speaking, it is caused by hearing loss. Tinnitus can have a significant psychological impact on musicians for various reasons.

The first and most obvious effect of tinnitus is the interference with sound and music, making you feel like your career is threatened. Usually, musicians will pay more attention than most to variations in sound.

Because of this, musicians are more likely to be hypervigilant to any sort of sound, which may directly cause tinnitus to be perceived more intrusively.

The Challenges Ahead

Tinnitus is often the cumulative effect of not adequately protecting the ears over time.

However, the greatest challenge is that musicians often hide their tinnitus for fear it will negatively impact their reputations, leading to increased loneliness and suffering. Luckily, the last couple of years have seen some musicians, like Huey Lewis, share their tinnitus experiences.

The challenge is to get more people in the music industry, especially younger people, to open up about the dangers of noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.

Precautions You Can Take to Prevent Hearing Loss

People in all walks of life, not just those in music, should take precautions in noisy situations, as a loud noise over a period in time causes tinnitus and worsens existing hearing problems.

The problem is that not many are aware of these risks. They are perhaps unaware because there is a stigma surrounding wearing earplugs combined with the lack of knowledge regarding loud noise.

Musicians have much greater exposure to loud noise than the average worker. Though it is possible, most people won’t develop chronic tinnitus from one loud concert. The main issue is that many will unknowingly listen to loud noises for a prolonged time. Prevention is a better option than cure. If your hearing is not protected, it is time to take action.

A disposable set of earplugs is recommended, but custom earplugs for musicians or in-ear monitors for audio professionals are also worthwhile investments.

Attenuation filters are used instead of absorbing or blocking sound so that the volume level is reduced evenly. Also, earplugs are an excellent option for most people.

The type of earplug may be important as well – as musician’s earplugs tend to let most of the music through and often will not make everything sound muffled. The store-bought earplugs used by musicians provide adequate protection, but it is preferable to get a pair made by a professional, which will usually be the better option.

In the past, hearing aids could help musicians recover from hearing loss and tinnitus, but they didn’t work well for listening to music because they compressed the dynamic range to an unpleasant level.

Hearing Aids and Musicians

There are now hearing aids designed for music listening, and they can be set up to mask tinnitus. The best part is that they can be programmed to include music settings as well.

Many people are suffering from tinnitus all over the globe, but very few of them speak about it openly. Many had no idea that tinnitus was possible until they began to talk about it. Music industry workers are particularly prone to tinnitus, but it’s not a death sentence. And while it might steal your focus from your music for a few weeks, you’re not trapped in it forever.

If you or a loved one believe you may be suffering from tinnitus, it is crucial to seek help immediately. Something as simple as a quick hearing test could be the difference between continued hearing loss and an increase in your overall quality of life.