Musicians are 4X more likely to suffer hearing loss + 4 tips to protect yourself

October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, so messaging about NIHL (Noise-Induced Hearing Loss) is everywhere. But less publicized is the disproportionate effect that it has on musicians.

Musicians are four times more likely than the average person to be one of the 1.8 billion worldwide affected by hearing loss. Musicians are also 57% percent more likely to have tinnitus.

Hearing loss can also lead to an increased risk of dementia as well as social isolation and loneliness.

Pete Townsand, Neil Young Eric, Barbra Streisand, Will.i.am, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich of Metallica, Liam Gallagher of Oasis and Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac are among the many musicians publically sharing their hearing problems.

Melissa Heche, Au.D. via the Hearing Health Foundation offers these four tips for musicians.

1. Get a hearing test

“Baseline hearing levels are important to obtain for anybody exposed to loud music on a regular or even semiregular basis. Ask to be tested on a range of 125 to 20,000 hertz, as the very high frequencies often show a loss first. If you’ve had ringing in your ears, consider including a tinnitus assessment.”

2. Know your range

“If you are mixing in the studio, use in-ear monitors and the equalizer to adjust for any frequency bands you may be missing. You can also use equalizer controls to adjust the sound to offer some sound cues that you may not be otherwise getting because of a hearing loss.”

3. Use in-ear monitors

“In-ear monitors allow musicians to hear the music mix directly in their ears. Work closely with your audiologist to choose in-ear monitors appropriate for your needs, and learn to use them properly for maximum protection.”

3. Musician’s earplugs do more than protect hearing

“You can hear your own voice or your own instrument more clearly when wearing musician’s earplugs. This helps you better hit notes without straining.”