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Student musicians should protect hearing
USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Oct, 2007
Student musicians who protect their hearing today still may hear the beat of the drum after graduation, indicates Lata Krishnan, a clinical associate professor of audiology at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. "A number of famous musicians, old and young, are living with hearing loss," notes Krishnan. "One study found that three out of every four rock and jazz musicians have a hearing disorder, and it's estimated that 15% of American teenagers have permanently lost some hearing. Temporary hearing loss can happen after a person has been exposed to loud music for as little as 15 minutes, and repeated exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss."
For music to cause damage, it does not have to be so loud that it hurts a person's ears, Krishnan explains. The power of musical instruments often is underestimated. For example, the piccolo generates sound that is equivalent to a jackhammer 30 feet away. Some common symptoms musicians experience after practice or a game include muffled hearing, a plugged feeling in the ears, ear discomfort, ringing or buzzing, difficulty hearing in a noisy room, hypersensitivity to sounds, or intolerance to loud sounds.
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If a student experiences these symptoms, earplugs should be used during performances and practices, and the individual should see an audiologist, Krishnan advises. Stuffing cotton, wool, or tissues in ears does not reduce sounds to safe levels. Inexpensive foam earplugs work well to protect hearing, but they can distort the clarity of the music. High-fidelity earplugs and custom musicians' earplugs can be obtained from audiologists.
"Unfortunately," Krishnan adds, "teenagers are often not very concerned about hearing loss because the effects of exposure may not show up right away, but, more and more these days, clinicians are seeing old ears on young bodies because of hearing damage. Parents should include earplugs in this year's school supplies if their child participates in band."
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