RINGGGGGG have you ever had that feeling a constant ringing noise after attending a club/festival/ noisy environment? If you have you will know that this noise can drive the sanest person insane. Minutes, hours, days the constant ringing called Tinnitus is a very difficult and frustrating condition to manage
But why do our ears ring after a night out?
The reality is listening to extremely loud music damages our ears and if you experience this ringing after a night out this is your ears telling you to turn the music down. Unfortunately many people don’t realize wearing earplugs for concerts, clubs, festivals protect our ears in the long run and significantly lowers the risk of damaging our ears
Unlike many years ago the only hearing protection on the market was foam earplugs or hearing protection that muffled noise completely, times have now changed with earplugs becoming more and more advanced allowing us to protect our ears in environments of loud bass without the worry of damaging our ears. Over the past number of years more and more people are now wearing earplugs at clubs and festivals, although earplugs may feel uncool wearing at a party, club, festival etc. Some of the most celebrated and well-known DJ’s such as Hot Since 82/Calvin Harris wear earplugs at festivals/concerts
When I speak to clubbers, festival goers am shocked at the number of people that are unaware at the risks of being in a loud environment. It’s very easy to find yourself listening to some head banging music for hours on end and not realize why at the end of the night you become partially deaf with a sudden ringing noise
What Are The Risks If We Don’t Wear Earplugs?
Temporary Threshold Shift
A temporary threshold shift is a temporary shift in the auditory threshold. It may occur suddenly after exposure to a high level of noise, a situation in which most people experience reduced hearing. A temporary threshold shift results in temporary hearing loss.
People who experience a temporary threshold shift may often also experience temporary tinnitus. The causes of temporary threshold shift which results in a temporary hearing loss are normally caused by exposure to intense and/or loud sounds or noise for a shorter or longer time. This could be e.g. Loud music at a concert
Long-Term Hearing Damage
What’s worse than Temporary Threshold Shift? When that shift becomes permanent. Noise-induced hearing loss is real and irreversible. We are able to hear because of small hair cells in the Cochlea (Inner Ear) sending impulses to the brain, allowing us to hear. Overexposure to loud noises can damage these hair cells, meaning sounds will seem muffled or mute compared to before.
What’s worse than hearing nothing at all? Hearing an annoying constant pestering ringing. That’s Tinnitus – A constant ringing in the ears which can be caused by noise-related hearing loss. Like noise-induced hearing loss, Tinnitus is permanent, and currently there is no cure for this condition. Earplugs can’t fix these problems if you’re already suffering from Tinnitus, but earplugs can significantly lower the risk and protect your ears from becoming further damaged
Now that we have gone through some of the risks for not wearing Earplugs what are the benefits to wearing these little gems in loud environments
Benefits of wearing earplugs in loud environments
Reduce the risk of Tinnitus
With a wide range of products on the market you can now find hearing protection that will help in any loud environment. Need an earplug for your gig sorted. Not only will these little beauties take the harshness of the sound allowing you to listen to music safely and clearly but also wearing earplugs lowers the risk of Tinnitus by a significant amount
Balance Of Sound
There’s an old age myth flying around, if we wear earplugs in loud environments we can’t listen to music or have conversations? False with the correct earplug you can listen to music of balanced sound and no muffled noise. Wearing earplugs will simply lower the excessive noise while still allowing you to enjoy your surroundings safely
Reduce Hearing loss
Attending Clubs, Festivals etc over time our ears become damaged due to a significant amount of noise exposure. Wearing earplugs they are designed in a way that only allows quality noise to enter your ears leaving the unwanted sounds out. As a result, our ears are able to be more healthy for longer. We all love loud music but the simple fact is earplugs will protect you from long-term hearing loss
Food For Thought
As a Tinnitus sufferer, I never thought in a million years Tinnitus would be something I would have to manage on a daily basis, for those that know my story will know some of the struggles I’ve had due to this condition. From the ages of 18 – 22 I was attending clubs, festivals, holidays, unfortunately after one eventful night of loud music I damaged my ears in a way that could not be fixed. Wearing earplugs would have saved me from the dreaded constant ringing
Still not convinced?
11 million people across the UK are currently suffering some type of hearing loss
Around one in 10 UK adults has tinnitus, with recent data showing an estimated 32,000 new cases of tinnitus were diagnosed in England in 2016
Hope this has been of use
Thanks Adam
EGGZ