Virginia Hearing Consultants share hearing loss prevention tips for teenagers. Full service audiologist with the best selection of hearing aids in Norfolk, VA. See us for hearing tests, custom ear protection, tinnitus treatment, ear wax removal, hearing aid repair.

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MARCHING BAND MUSICIANS ARE AT VERY
HIGH RISK FOR HEARING LOSS
Some 6 million teens nationwide suffer some type of loss of hearing, and
this number has risen dramatically over the past 20 years. While authorities
say that this hearing loss is in part due to sustained exposure to high
volumes of music from phones and MP3 players, taking part in marching
band is another possible 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.
Dangerous decibel levels for teenagers. Noise levels are measured in
decibels, also written as dB. Noises greater than 85 dB can cause hearing
loss in both children and adults. 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.
Prevention and protection strategies. Musicians earplugs are effective at
reducing the sound levels that reach the inner ear. These professional
earplugs are designed to fit perfectly in the teen’s ears. However, parents
often find them to be expensive. Shorter rehearsal sessions are another
good approach to protecting teens hearing, because it breaks up the time
for which they are exposed to potentially damaging decibel levels. Band
leaders 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 band leaders should work together to increase awareness and

2.
Virginia Hearing Consultants |
(757) 847-5989|
http://virginiahearing.com
Discover
more
great
content
here:
http://twitter.com/hearingva
http://www.youtube.com/user/virginiahearing
https://www.facebook.com/virginiahearing
to implement strategies for protecting the hearing of marching band
members.