Sound Advice Audiology explains hearing damage from marching band participation. Full service audiologist with the best selection of hearing aids in South Portland, ME. See us for hearing tests, custom ear protection, tinnitus treatment, ear wax removal, hearing aid repair.

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Parental Guide to Avoiding Hearing Damage from
Band Participation
Roughly 6 million teens nationwide suffer some form of loss of hearing, and this number
has risen dramatically over the past twenty years. While experts say that this hearing loss
is in part caused by sustained exposure to high volumes of music from portable players
and phones, taking part in marching band is another contributing cause. Marching band is
a popular activity for teenagers, as bands can be found in almost all large high schools
and in almost every university.
Teenagers and loud sounds. Volume, or noise
level, is measured in decibels (dB). Sounds in
excess of 85 dB can cause hearing loss in both
adults and children. Marching band includes a
variety of instruments, some of which easily
cross over that threshold during rehearsals and
performances. For example, Duke University
students were exposed to decibel levels of 99
over a half hour during drumline practice.
However, playing those instruments indoors for
rehearsals can be even more harmful to teens’
hearing. Sometimes teens don’t want to reduce the volume of their instruments just
because they are inside.
Strategies for hearing protection and hearing loss prevention. Musicians earplugs are
effective at reducing the sound levels that reach the inner ear. Musicians earplugs are
custom-designed to fit an individual’s ear perfectly. Musicians earplugs can be expensive,
which may be a problem for parents. Another effective strategy for protecting young
people’s hearing is to reduce the length of time they are exposed to potentially harmful
sound levels by breaking up the rehearsals into shorter sessions. Bandleaders and
participants also need to be aware of how important it is to lower the volume of their
instruments when practicing indoors. Parents, teens, and bandleaders should work
together to increase awareness and to implement strategies for protecting the hearing of
marching band members.