- How Fast Can Hearing Loss Progress? - April 10, 2024
- Movie Enjoyment for Hearing Aid Users - March 13, 2024
- Predicting the Future of Hearing Healthcare - February 14, 2024
In the last few years, scientists and researchers have learned even more about how hearing works and what factors may cause hearing loss. While it’s common knowledge that hearing loss can be a natural part of aging, you might not know that loud noises can also cause hearing loss. Professionals who risk their hearing health on the job include construction workers, farmers, first responders, and musicians.
Musicians and Hearing Loss
In recent years, musicians are making a greater effort to keep their hearing safe. They wear hearing protection on stage, and make sure the volume isn’t dangerously loud in the recording studio. However, even just a few years ago musicians didn’t realize just how much damage they were doing to their ears. Some rock and roll stars have even had to stop performing due to their hearing loss.
Famous Musicians with Hearing Loss
Both rock stars and classical musicians have suffered hearing loss during their careers. Some have even had to give up on their musical careers. Here are some of the most famous musicians with hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Pete Townshend is a rock and roll icon from The Who. During their years of touring, The Who played incredibly loud shows, and even smashed guitars on stage. Pete has hearing loss, but he’s still been able to perform.
- Sting, a member of The Police, has both hearing loss and tinnitus. After he admitted that he had tinnitus, he became a supporter of the Hear The World Foundation.
- Eric Clapton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times during his career, but he faced his fair share of setbacks. He struggled with alcoholism, drug addiction, and tragedy. Clapton also has the constant ringing of tinnitus in his ears, and he has experienced some hearing loss.
- Chris Martin from Coldplay has been living with tinnitus for a number of years. His tinnitus also gives him headaches, and he’s careful to protect his hearing so the tinnitus won’t get any worse.
- Danny Elfman has hearing loss from his time in the band Oingo Boingo. After he left the band due to hearing loss, he went on to have a successful career creating famous soundtracks for films and TV shows such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Simpsons.
- Ozzy Osbourne got his fame as the lead singer in the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, then had a very successful solo career. Osbourne has had significant hearing loss due to his extremely loud shows and lack of hearing protection.
Noise Induced Hearing Loss
Many musicians suffer from noise-induced hearing loss. The cells in the inner ear can be damaged by excessively loud noises, causing hearing loss. Repeated exposure to loud noise during nightly concerts and recording sessions can chip away at hearing health, leading to permanent hearing loss and tinnitus.
Music lovers can also have noise induced hearing loss. Attending concerts can expose you to dangerously loud noise and increase your risk of hearing loss. If you have to yell to talk to the person standing next to you, the concert is dangerously loud, and you could be damaging your hearing.
Protecting Your Hearing
For both musicians and concert goers, custom fitted hearing protection can protect your hearing without interfering with your experience of the music. These earplugs are custom molded to your ear to provide a comfortable fit. This hearing protection uses digital technology to scan the sounds around you. Harmful sounds are softened, but soft sounds are allowed to reach your ear normally. Custom hearing protection also balances sound levels, so you can still enjoy the quality of the music.
Learn more about noise induced hearing loss and how to protect your hearing by contacting us today. Whether you’re a musician or a music fan, our hearing health specialists can help you find the right hearing protection to enjoy music without worrying about your hearing health.