3. Wear hearing protection when appropriate and
ask your employer or audiologist about getting
custom-fitted earplugs that work best for your environment.
4. Have your hearing evaluated annually by an experienced audiologist who understands noise exposures in the music industry.
5. Always be aware of your sound exposure level,
an easy and practical way is to use your smartphone
and a sound meter app (see NIOSH evaluation of
smartphone sound measurement apps http://
blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2014/04/09/
sound-apps/).
6. Give your ears some rest; ears typically need
about eighteen hours of quiet after exposures to
loud sounds in order to return to normal hearing.
Take advantage of breaks (in quiet areas) whenever
possible.
For More Information
More information about noise-induced hearing loss is
available on the NIOSH Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/
niosh/topics/noise/about.html
To receive documents or other information about occupational safety and health topics, contact NIOSH at:
Phone: 1-800–CDC–INFO (1–800–232–4636)
TTY: 1–888–232–6348 | E-mail: [email protected]
or visit the NIOSH website at www.cdc.gov/niosh.
For a monthly update on news at NIOSH, subscribe to
NIOSH eNews by visiting www.cdc.gov/niosh/eNews.
Mention of any company or product does not constitute
endorsement by NIOSH. In addition, citations to websites
external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement
of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content
of these websites.
Examples of efforts to reach musicians and other professionals exposed to music can also be found from some
of the Safe-inSound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award™recipients, an award created by NIOSH in
partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) See http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-scienceblog/2011/01/25/music/ and http://www.safeinsound.us/
archive.html
Reducing the Risk of Hearing Disorders among Musicians
Additional resources:
• H.E.A.R – Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers
• Hear Tomorrow – Hearing Conservation Workshop
• Listen to Your Buds – American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Musicians’ health and therapy – American Federation of
Musicians
• For musicians and music lovers – American Tinnitus Association
• Basic Information on Hearing Health – National Association of Schools of Music
• Adopt-A-Band – Etymotic Research, Inc.
• Musicians’ Clinics of Can ada – Musicians Clinics of Canada
36