By Suzanne Trimel

News that singer-songwriter KT Tunstall has put her summer concert dates on hold due to worsening hearing problems is another reminder that all of us—not just musicians—must heed warnings and protect our ears from damaging loud noise. Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) expresses the hope that Tunstall will receive the care she needs to deal with her hearing loss and will resume her concert appearances and continue to record music so loved by fans worldwide.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Is a Serious Threat

Noise-induced hearing loss is a growing worldwide concern, especially among teenagers and young adults. In June, HHF launched the “Keep Listening” campaign to raise awareness about the problem, which the World Health Organization considers a serious public health threat. “Keep Listening” presents easy-to-follow information to encourage hearing protection. The objective is to create a culture shift around hearing health, especially among young people, in the same way that people now routinely use sunscreen and seatbelts.

The consequences of hearing loss, particularly when untreated, are not widely known in the same way other health risks are. Hearing loss from loud noise poses serious health consequences to physical and emotional well-being including medical risks to your heart and your brain.

Tunstall’s Experience Is All Too Common

In an interview this week with the BBC, Tunstall said she suffered tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and lost all hearing in her left ear in 2018. She described her experience as “depressing and overwhelming,” especially the accompanying vertigo which made her dizzy at times. “It’s been sobering and humbling,” Tunstall said. In July, she decided to withdraw from her summer concert dates because she recently experienced tinnitus in her right ear and is worried about losing her hearing altogether. In an online post to her followers, she wrote: “It could be the difference between being able to be a musician or not.”

The singer told the BBC she has been moved and gratified by the many musicians who have reached out to her relaying their similar experiences with hearing loss. Professional musicians are almost four times as likely to develop noise-induced hearing loss as the general public, research has shown. And they are 57% more likely to develop tinnitus, the findings show.

Tunstall, 46, joins musicians of all ages who have been vocal about the damage to their hearing they suffered from loud music—including legends Pete Townshend and Bob Dylan, plus Chris Martin, Grimes, and will.i.am. Earlier this year, Tunstall said: “I’d never been particularly careful about my hearing over the years, especially as a clubber through my 20s, and cranking up the volume on bad monitors at my early gigs.”

Permanent and Preventable

With so many of us spending so much time listening to music through headphones or earbuds, we risk damaging our hearing unless we take simple precautions. And once you’ve lost your hearing from noise, it’s gone forever. The damaged sensory cells in your inner ear will not grow back. The good news is that hearing loss from excess noise is entirely preventable.

When listening on earbuds or headphones, protect your hearing with these simple steps: Lower the volume to 50 to 60 percent of the maximum, and listen for 60 minutes at a time, taking a “sound break” to give your ears a rest for just a few minutes each hour.

In loud environments (if it sounds too loud, it is), earplugs are the most effective way to protect your hearing. The basic foam types are inexpensive and effective, but if you’re a regular concert-goer or work in a noisy environment, you should scale up to the type of high-fidelity or custom earplugs that musicians use.

For more tips on protecting your hearing, visit the Keep Listening site. 

Suzanne Trimel has worked in communications for mission-driven nonprofits and NGOs for over two decades, advocating on health, human rights, the environment, and social impact campaigns in the United States and worldwide.

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