Rachel Antman describes the dangers of noise-induced hearing damage for musicians in this excellent story in Classical Singer Magazine. The story is especially critical for musicians since their job frequently puts them at risk and it is not yet common for musicians to protect their hearing. Bryan Pollard provided a few quotes for the story.
“Hyperacusis, can destroy careers. Bryan Pollard, the president of the nonprofit Hyperacusis Research, has encountered many musicians with hyperacusis, and most of them cannot continue performing. This is not surprising, because many sufferers cannot tolerate music at any but the softest level.”
“Use earplugs. Pollard notes that musicians’ earplugs, which provide protection of up to 25 decibels, do not fully occlude the ear, so most performers can perform well with them. There are also earplugs you can use for everyday situations, such as loud subways, restaurants, exercise classes that blare music, vacuuming, grinding coffee, or mowing the lawn.”
Hyperacusis Research is glad to see more stories about the dangers of noise for musicians as we strive to educate the public and prevent the devastating effects of hyperacusis. See page 38 of the magazine for the full story.