Question: can going to concerts or places with loud music affect your permanent hearing

  1. Yes.

    Any loud sounds can damage your hearing. However generally you need to receive a ‘dose’ of the noise. For example, people who work in noisy environments can tolerate 85dB (deciBells) for eight hours, every day without an increased risk of hearing loss. However if you increase the time you are exposed or the volume of the sound, the risks go up. At 140 dB even very short exposures times will cause hearing loss.

    Concerts are very loud, but not loud enough to causes instant and guaranteed hearing loss. However the more often you go to concerts the higher your ‘dose’ of loud music and so the more likely you are to suffer hearing loss. So going to a concert or night club once in a while has a lower risk of giving you hearing loss that going every night. You distance from the stage also matters because the music is louder closer to the stage.

    Some people who go to lots of concerts wear ear plugs. The music is so loud you can still hear it clearly through the ear plugs, but you reduce your noise dose and therefore your risk of hearing loss.

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  2. YES!! The cells in your ear are special because once they are damaged or die, they cannot renew themselves.

    Therefore, if you subject them to loud music or noise over long periods of time, you will eventually start to get hearing loss, which unfortunately is permanent.

    It’s best to enjoy your favourite music at a moderate level and wear protective gear such as ear plugs if you are going to be at an event such as a concert.

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