How Musicians Can Avoid Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is common amongst musicians and Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, and Phil Collins are just a few musicians who have suffered with hearing loss over the years. The reason? The intensity of music is more than that of speech and this, consequently warrants different strategies and approaches to protect all musicians from hearing loss. Some things to be considered are based on who is listening, the listening situation, their needs and hearing status.
It is critical for musicians that do not have any hearing problem cover their ears properly. To achieve this, some custom-made and commercially available hearing protection earplugs can be used. If a musician practices for at least two hours daily, it is necessary for them to maximize physical comfort and commit to strong protection of the ear’s core components. Musicians are often exposed to noise that is deemed “too loud” while they are performing and are not aware of it. Humans can discern spectra change very easily but find it difficult to judge loudness. For a rock musician, they might be exposed to about 110 to 115 dBA twice a week. A musician with a hearing problem using hearing aids needs to remove them during practice and performance or risks further damage.
When listening to a loud sound source, turn down the volume as much as possible. Yes, this can be a drag, but protection is the key to future strong hearing for musicians. The lower the input of the hearing aid the better the hearing aid circuit is allowed to do what it was designed to do.
One great option to preserve the quality of hearing is placing a compressor before the analogue allows for a digital converter. By placing it at the front end of the circuit, the sound will be compressed and avoid saturation of the analogue to digital converter. It then can result in a digital expansion of the digital circuit. There are some technologies in the marketplace available currently that do exactly that.
Musicians work hard to craft their work and image. That shouldn’t come at the sacrifice of future hearing issues. Protecting the core components of the ear will ensure that all musicians can avoid hearing loss in years to come.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Caring For Your Hearing Aid
Today, hearing aids have become exceptionally important for the long-term care and wellbeing of many people. However, one problem with hearing aids is that people who have them seem to believe that the hearing aid does not need any cleaning or management. To make sure that they last the distance, though, you need to be able to take care of your ears as much as the actual aid itself – this means keeping your ear buds nice and clean to avoid a build-up and eventually stopping the product from working the way that it is supposed to.
The ear bud of the hearing aid will sit in your ear and over time it will start to accumulate a lovely build-up of ear wax! Eventually this causes significant clogging and will eventually start to hamper the quality of the actual aid that you are getting in the first place. To avoid this, you need to be able to keep your ears clean before using the aid – without it, your regular cleaning sessions on the aid itself from a health professional will not be as effective. The cleanliness of your ears in this position is every bit as important as the aid itself.
What to Use
Various cleaning tools exist out there that you can make the most of, including a wax brush or a wax pick. They can easily rip through the excess wax and make it nice and easy to clear the static noise that builds up thanks to the wax interfering with the signal. By doing this, you make sure that your ear buds will stay nice and clear and you’ll remove any of the excess which builds up.
You can clean the earholes of the hearing aid itself by using a soft, dry cloth. This will remove body oils and wax that may have built up over the course of the day, and this will make a big difference to the quality of the hearing that you get
If you still cannot hear properly try looking for any blockages within the mild. Ou will find that h hearing aid tends to have a wax build-up within its tubing, which can be emptied out by using warm – not hot – water. Simply run some hot water over the mild ONLY – not the aid itself – and this should rinse through the tubing and remove the most of the problems that you are facing.
Leave it out to dry overnight and then re-connect it in the morning and you should find that you have a much better quality of hearing. However, try and look out for any disgusting smells emanating from the cleaning process; this could be the sign that you have an outer ear infection which will need to be checked out.
Whatever you decide to do, you will find that using ear aids is made much easier if you stay on top of the cleaning process.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )DJ’s and Hearing Loss
Think back to that catchy song you heard on the radio this morning while driving to work. Well, you can thank a local DJ for that jam being stuck in your head. But have you ever thought about what it would be like to be a DJ? Sure it sounds like it would be a blast! Constantly bringing life to parties and events through the sound of music! But what many people seem to forget is that constant exposure to loud noises can damage hearing health and with National DJ day quickly approaching, it’s important to keep in mind the one of the most important tools that every DJ possesses: their hearing.
Think about the last concert you attended. Now do you remember anything about the drive home? You might recall your hearing being lowered for a bit and maybe even a persistent ringing noise for a couple of hours. Now imagine what it’s like to be exposed to that regularly. Some hearing damage is bound to happen. In many cases, DJ’s report that the relentless ringing noise lasts more than a few hours, for some, as long as life.
On average, a nightclub can exert as much as 115 decibels of noise, even though OSHA guidelines imply that anything over 105 decibels for more than one hour deems a workplace as unsafe. Even beyond the perspective of a DJ, club-goers are as much at risk as anyone else. In fact, a study conducted by the Action on Hearing Loss revealed that as much as 56% of young adults surveyed went to a club at least once a month. Even more so, 70% of them recalled hearing either dulled hearing or a ringing. Not enough shocking statistics for you? Well consider that only 16% of those recorded worried about losing their hearing.
Bringing it back to DJ’s however, you might imagine that they have it somewhat worse because as luck would have it, for many, it is their career. And one that places them directly in the line of fire of hearing loss. Just this past year alone, one of Forbes richest DJ’s openly spoke about his sudden loss of hearing in his left ear, only to be diagnosed shortly thereafter. The year before that, another DJ, Grimes, was forced to cancel several of her Canadian tour dates because she began experiencing hearing loss and tinnitus because of her exposure to loud music.
Realistically speaking, however, we can’t expect DJ’s to just stop doing what they love cold turkey. And we certainly can’t ask partygoers to stop attending clubs. After all, for some, this is a way of life. But there are methods of prevention that can be used to make sure your hearing is protected, DJ or otherwise. Many venues have already begun offering earplugs as a method of safety, if not, try bringing your own. If that’s out of the question, simply take a break from the loud noise, whether it’s a bathroom break or an outdoor patio. If you’re a DJ there are a few further tips you can exercise to protect your hearing. Try holding back on the alcohol as it inhibits the ability to judge when sounds are too loud. Some even suggest turning down monitors between mixes to lessen the exposure to damaging sounds. You could even use an external decibel meter to help determine the level of sound.
[Image Credit: Pitchfork]
Hearing Health: Make it Your New Years Resolution
“New Years, New You…” We bet you’re tired of hearing THAT one and we definitely don’t blame you. Each New Year people across the globe vow to establish a goal and stick to it, no matter what the cost. When you think about the different ambitions we set for ourselves each year, usually it revolves around healthier choices to better ourselves. But whether you’re taking advantage of the promising beginning of 2015 or simply working on improving yourself, factoring your hearing health into your New Years resolution will undoubtedly prove to better your overall quality of life!
When you take into account the different ways that you can pose a risk to your hearing, it may become evidently clear that some of those common New Years resolutions may tie in to your hearing loss goals, as well. For example, committing to an active lifestyle could help shed those extra pounds and even reduce the chance of obesity and diabetes. But beyond that, hitting the gym more often can increase circulation in the body and help reduce your risk of developing hearing loss too! If you already take part in a healthy lifestyle, then simply limiting your exposure to loud sounds in 2015 could provide great benefits! Whether you’re going to concerts less or using hearing protection more often, your eyes will surely thank you in the long run!
One major New Years resolution we frequently hear is to kick the habit of smoking. When you take into account the fact that 42.1 million American adults smoke and approximately 16 million have developed a disease because of the habit, it should come at no surprise. By successfully cutting out cigarettes from your life, you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor. After all, it’s no mystery that smoking can lead to many adverse side effects like heightened cancer risk and even heart disease. But less commonly known is that the chemicals that are released throughout the bloodstream can eventually build up and cause hearing loss! In fact, research suggests that smokers are 15.1% more likely to develop hearing loss compared to those that don’t partake in the habit. Yikes!
So where do you begin with your healthy hearing New Years resolution? Well, with a hearing test of course! That is, if you are currently experiencing hearing loss as a result of your lifestyle. However, if you’re simply working on improving your physical health, there’s a few simple ways to get started on making sure that you’re all set for 2015. To begin, try an all-natural approach for your hearing by using herbs like ginkgo biloba or avoiding metals in food like mercury. In any case, try incorporating more foods that are proven to be great for hearing health in the upcoming year, such as zinc, which can be found in eggs, nuts and pumpkin seeds. You could even try to increase your intake in vital vitamins like vitamin A, and Omega-3 fatty acids among others.
[Image Credit: App Happening]
Hearing Loss in Infants
Hearing loss is a common disorder at birth. This makes it important to screen for hearing loss in newborn infants to make sure the condition is spotted early on. Studies show that it’s actually better to treat hearing loss as early as possible. This way, infants can develop normal language skills without delay.
Signs of hearing loss in infants vary by age. For example, a newborn with hearing loss might not react or startle when there is a loud noise nearby. An older infant, who should respond to familiar voices by their age, may show no reaction when spoken to. Hearing loss makes a baby unable to hear sounds below a certain level.
A doctor can examine a child to look for symptoms and causes of hearing loss. The list of potential causes is extensive, where each cause is related to a particular part of the ear. This could include buildup of fluid behind the eardrum, birth defects that cause changes in the structure of the ear, or genetic disorders. A hearing test can
There is a difference between a hearing screen and a diagnostic hearing test. A hearing test is usually performed if an infant fails the screening or displays symptoms of hearing loss. Hearing in infants can be screened using an auditory brainstem response (ABR) evaluation or the otoacoustic emission (OAE) measure. Both tests are accurate and noninvasive. A doctor can also use an otoscope to see inside the baby’s ear canal, and check if the eardrum is in good condition. A diagnostic test is usually longer that a screening, and involved more interaction with the infant. The more information that can be collected the better.
Over 30 states in the U.S. require newborn to have screening for hearing loss. Treatment for hearing loss can start as early as the age of six months. This would depend on the baby’s overall health and the exact cause of hearing loss.
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