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Re: Earplugs

Author: sdr
Date: 2020-08-13 23:01

Important topic! I’d suggest you look at these two links:

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/newsroom/feature/hearingloss.html

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2015-184/pdfs/2015-184.pdf

Besides my day job as an ear doc at Massachusetts Eye & Ear/Harvard Medical School, I also teach a Health & Wellness course for undergrads at Berklee College of Music. I ask them all to load a sound level meter app on their phones — my favorite is “Sound Level Meter Pro” from Mint Muse for $20 at the app store but there are plenty of less accurate ones for free. They are advised to start taking readings all over the place. In solo practice, ensemble practice, gigs, shows and concerts, restaurants, street corners, etc. to get familiar with the sound levels around them. Noise injury is a “dose effect” — the louder the sound, the less time it takes to cause harm. If the average exposure is 85dB, there is little risk of harm. At 90dB you are safe for about 8hrs. For every subsequent increase of 3dB you cut the safe exposure time in half: 4hrs at 93dB, 2hrs at 96dB, 1hr at 99dB, etc.

Check your sound exposure. If you have never done this, you are likely to be shocked and horrified.

-Steve
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Steven D. Rauch, MD
Professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Research
Dept. of Otolaryngology
Harvard Medical School

Chief, Vestibular Division
Member, Otology Division
Otolaryngology Dept.
Mass Eye & Ear and Mass General Hosp
Boston, MA 02114

Tel: 617-573-3644
Email: steven_rauch@meei.harvard.edu
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