Audiologist warns indoor concerts can damage hearing within seconds

Indoor concerts can expose people to sound levels that may damage hearing within seconds, clinical audiologist Sandra Vill told ERR’s Ringvaade programme. She said concertgoers should always carry earplugs.

Vill spoke at the Cultural Compass event earlier this week, where cultural workers and organisers discussed topics including sleep, mental health and hearing protection.

“Exposure to noise is quite significant among cultural workers, although they may not realise how extensive it is,” Vill said. She added that people are generally exposed to more noise because of urbanisation and the constant use of headphones.

Unlike the eyes, the ears have no eyelids that can shut out sound, Vill said. Hearing takes in everything, beginning with the loudest sounds, and this can cause harm.

Hearing also naturally declines with age, particularly at higher frequencies. However, Vill said hearing among young people had also worsened in recent years. In a survey of ninth-grade students conducted over the past few years, 70 percent said concerts were too loud, including for younger audiences.

Outdoor concerts are generally less problematic if people remain far enough from the speakers, Vill said. Indoors, however, sound levels can exceed 100 or even 120 decibels, at which point hearing damage can occur after only a few seconds.

Vill said ringing ears after a concert are a sign that hearing damage has already occurred and that it may not recover. Some people regain their hearing, while others suffer lasting harm.

“Noise-induced hearing loss is the only type of hearing loss that we can almost completely prevent,” Vill said.