Hearing damage in corps - serious problem or overblown?

[rpbobcat]

I think it's great that you encourage your students to use earplugs.

One thing though, outside of the activity isn't there also a problem with increased hearing loss due to the popularity of MP3 players and other personal music players?

I read an article about this a while ago.

Accoding the article, most people tend to leave the volume on the their phones,music palyers etc. as high as it can go.

Combine that with ear buds that direct the sound dierctly into the ear canel,and you're looking at potential problems.

According to the article,in a few years there are going to be a lot of people with hearing issues.

The article said its also a big problem for people in radio who always wear headsets.

I know when i walk past people at the gym I can hear the music coming from their ear buds clear as day.

That can't be healthy.

Edited January 5, 2016 by rpbobcat

[Dan Detweiler]

I have very bad tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Drives me literally crazy sometimes. I am sure this is due to all the time I spent in front of drum lines and horn lines over the years. It is very encouraging to see as many young people as I do now wearing ear protection while standing in drum lines especially. I think this is a very real problem that won't be realized until much later in life.

Dan

[JimF-LowBari]

Feel for you Dan, my tinnitus really kicked in this Fall and Winter with weather going thru drastic changes almost daily. Have allergies and for some reason parts of the ear canal have been closing up. Worse ever was waking up at 4AM last month with what sounded like a hearing test in my one ear. One big loud high pitched whine until all the nasal spray I snorted started taking effect. I blame corps and working in the computer room in the very early 80s with oversized impact printers that matched jackhammers for volume level.

[frachel]

No hearing is no problem in DCI.

Oh where do I get these? I couldn't believe the difference cupping my hands like that made (especially at Allentown being so set back now). Don't care how ridicuous they look, restores the power of the sound!

[Ghost]

Tinnitus hit me early in 12 even though I've worn plugs doing yard work and snow plowing for decades back East. Even Big Bird ( a Gold Wing) is one of the quietest MC made, I still wear them whether attending a veterans funeral (all those Harley's) or riding by myself do to the wind and other ambient noises.

[Tim K]

When I was a child, I was prone to ear infections which damaged my ears and caused a hearing loss. Today I would have had tubes in my ears, and my younger sister and brother did in fact have this surgery. My hearing has been closely monitored since that time. Band was never considered an issue, but headphones were considered a problem. Ear buds are not as dangerous as headphones that completely cover the ears. Regarding ear plugs, I think the cause of the hearing loss is key. My issue involves damaged eustachian tubes and have been told repeatedly by my ENT specialist only to wear them when swimming. Keeping ear canals open is critical. Perhaps if I worked in construction or was in the military, or marched in a drum corps, the advice would be different. If music directors have been told by ENT's or audiologist that ear plugs are helpful, that's fine but before handing them out check first. If kids who March have to have a physical prior to marching, checking the ears would be part of the exam, so he/she could ask the doctor for a recommendation.

Edited January 5, 2016 by Tim K

[mfrontz]

I have a son who plays cello in a youth symphony orchestra and wants to go into music. Should I recommend earplugs? Or just for him to use caution? It's not as loud as a drumline or hornline, but you all have me thinking.