Sun, food poisoning, alcohol, drugs, and sexually transmitted infections are the usual topics that come up when we think about health hazards at festivals. Noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus doesn’t come up much, but it can be life-changing and impact your mental health.
About me
I’ve been an audiologist since 2009, so 17 years, but I’ve been playing live music in bands for even longer than that!
When I’m not in the Audiology clinic, I’m usually in a music studio or performing live on stage, surrounded by drums, speakers, and amplifiers. It’s fair to say that my ears have taken a hammering over the years.
When I was younger, I never used to bother with earplugs for gigs. I didn’t give much thought to my own ear health, but that changed after playing a particularly loud show.
The usual ‘day after’ tinnitus didn’t stop. Tinnitus is a ringing or buzzing in your ears. It went on for some months, and I started to get different sounds, that were really hard to ignore.
Since then, I’ve given more thought to noise exposure. I am glad that I do see others around me also taking care now.
I still enjoy attending festivals and loud concerts, and I enjoy listening to music loud. None of that has stopped, but I’ve adjusted my approach. I’m much more mindful of noise exposure risks.
Noise levels at live music events
Decibels (dB) measure how loud a sound is. It’s a bit more complicated than other measurements because it’s a ‘logarithmic’ scale. This means it squeezes very large changes into a smaller range of numbers.
Every increase of 10 dB represents roughly a tenfold increase in sound intensity, although our ears do not perceive it as ten times louder.
You need to start taking care with sounds over 70 dB, which is around the point where it gets hard to hear someone talking to you (if you have normal hearing). Long or regular exposure to loud sounds can damage your hearing.
At the same time, be aware that just one short exposure to an extremely loud sound can also lead to hearing loss or tinnitus.
This is how loud some things you might come across every day are:
- 10 to 30 dB: Rustling leaves, calm breathing, or a ticking clock
- 30 to 40 dB: A library or quiet conversation
- 60 dB: Normal conversation
- 70 to 90 dB: A busy restaurant, rush hour city traffic, a vacuum cleaner, or a hairdryer
- 90 to 110 dB: Live music, nightclub, motorcycle, or lawn mower
- 110 dB to 120 dB: Ambulance siren nearby
- 120 dB: Standing near the speakers at a rock concert
- over 130 dB: roadworkers using a jackhammer, nearby fireworks, or a jet engine less than 100m away
All sorts of factors can affect the volume of live music, including whether it’s indoors or open air, the acoustics in the room, and how many people are there.
Little ears versus big noises
Because children's ear canals are smaller, sound can be amplified slightly more at the eardrum. Combined with their developing hearing systems, this means they should be given appropriate hearing protection around loud noise.
Live loud, but keep hearing
Here are some tips to follow if you want to be able to keep hearing well at all the shows you go to in the future.
Get into position
Think about the distance between yourself and the speakers. If the volume feels uncomfortable, move further back or around the speaker.
If you’re worried about getting separated from your friends, organise a point where you’ll meet up at the end of the show.
Plug up
Bring a pair of earplugs or ear defenders with you and use them.
There are many different types of earplugs and ear defenders available now that reduce the decibel levels by up to 25 dB, while still allowing some natural sound through. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ solution, so it’s worth doing the research to decide what will work best for you.
Custom fit earplugs are available. This involves having a trained professional take an impression of your ear to make something just for you.
If you forget your earplugs, ask staff at the venue as they often provide them for free.
Take a break
Noise exposure isn’t just about loudness. It’s also about listening duration.
Regular breaks from loud noise will help your ears recover.
You’ll probably be okay listening to 85 dB sounds for up to eight hours, but for 90 dB you should take a break at least every two hours.
If you’re at a festival with music playing from late morning until late in the night, then your hearing will be at risk if not protected.
Tips for using headphones
When listening to music through headphones:
Set the level more quietly, rather than turning them up loud from the beginning. Your ears will get used to it.
If you do want more volume, a small gradual change will seem a lot louder to your ears/brain, than it would if you were to go in loudly from the beginning.
Many modern devices have built-in volume limiters which you can use to limit too much noise exposure. Check the settings on your device or search the manufacturer's website for advice.
Further information
Try not to fret too much about noise exposure as it can take the fun out of going to shows. Plus, tinnitus and sound sensitivity are linked to stress, so anxiety can increase your risk or make symptoms worse.
If you’re prepared and being mindful of the risks, you should be all set to enjoy the music.
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