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Are Concerts Bad For Your Ears?

are concerts bad for your ears? a woman covering her ears in a pink dress
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There is nothing like seeing your favorite band live on stage. Not only do you get to pick out notes and sounds you don’t usually hear in the recording, but you also get to see your favorite star’s body language and hear them talk to the crowd from time to time. But, for as amazing as live music is, are concerts bad for your ears?

Unfortunately, too much live music has caused damage to the ears of many music lovers around the world. Keep reading to learn more about concerts, hearing damage, and how you can protect your ears while still seeing your favorite bands live.

a concert with the audience putting their hands in the air
Image from Shutterstock.

Are Concerts Bad For Your Ears?

Sadly, the science on concerts and hearing damage is clear. Concerts regularly have a sound level of over 105 decibels, which is only safe for your ears for 4 minutes. Since most concerts are much longer than 4 minutes, it’s true that concerts are bad for your hearing.

In fact, frequent concerts are the most common cause of long-term hearing loss. And unlike other parts of your body, your ears will never heal from hearing loss, and any loss you experience will be permanent.

Will One Concert Damage Hearing?

As sad as it is to hear, just one concert can damage your hearing. This can happen because any noise over 110 dB can cause immediate hearing loss, and some concerts (mainly in the rock genre) can be over 120 dB. Because you cannot control the noise levels at concerts, it is highly likely that you could damage your ears at just one concert.

While you may not notice the damage immediately, you may experience several ill effects of attending a loud concert, such as pain in your ears, tinnitus, and even temporary deafness. While most of these will go away after just one concert, after a few concerts, you may find that your ears are permanently in a state of discomfort.

Related: Can You Take a Baby to a Concert?

a woman seeing a hearing doctor
Image from Shutterstock.

How Can You Go to a Concert Without Damaging Your Ears?

Don’t fret just yet, as there are things you can do to protect your ears while attending your favorite concert, and they are as follows:

1. Wear Earplugs

The right earplugs can help block your ears from damage while still allowing you to enjoy the sound of your favorite bands.

2. Stay in the Back

While you might want to feel the sweat of your favorite singer falling on your face as you sing along to your favorite tunes, the music is the loudest right by the speakers at the front of the concert.

Stay toward the back, and if you start to experience pain or ringing, you can exit the concert swiftly.

3. Take Breaks

Medical professionals recommend that those not wearing earplugs take breaks from concerts to help protect their hearing. While the length and frequency of breaks will vary from person to person, it is generally recommended to take a 10-minute break every hour to help protect your ears from damage.

a man putting a foam earplug in his ears
Image from Shutterstock.

The Best Hearing Protection for a Live Concert

Want to enjoy your favorite bands without risking permanent hearing loss? Below are some of the best earplugs for concerts:

1. Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs

Vibes Hi-Fidelity earplugs are designed specifically for concertgoers. They are specially designed to reduce the level of sound outside the ear without filtering out certain sounds as foam earplugs do.

This means you can enjoy all the sounds of your favorite bands without worrying about your ears! Vibes are available for purchase on their website or on Amazon.com.

2. Any Earplugs

While foam earplugs do block some of the frequencies of music, they are still better than permanent hearing loss. Just make sure you get some that fit your ears!

Related: 9 Best Earplugs for Concerts

3. Earmuffs

While we don’t recommend earmuffs for most adults, they can be helpful for children and babies who you want to take to a concert with you. Earmuffs will block out most of the sound, but with their more sensitive hearing, young concertgoers will still get to hear a low amount of noise and enjoy the lights and sounds at a concert.

Overall, if you are a music lover and worried about your hearing, don’t panic too much, as there are steps you can take to protect your ears while enjoying your favorite live shows. You do, however, need to take these steps now, as any hearing loss you allow to happen will be permanent. So, whether you plan to use Vibes or another brand of earplugs, buy some today and start using them before it’s too late!

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Written by Hope Davis

Long-time music lover Hope became a full-time writer in 2020 after being laid off from her regular job due to COVID-19. She now spends her time traveling the world to see her favorite bands while writing about them!

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