Siân Knight, studentBMJ

The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) has reported new research showing that 81% of young people are not worried about damaging their hearing, although 45% of them experience hearing problems after being exposed to loud music.

In the RNID report, Dr Deepak Prasher from the Institute of Laryngology and Otology, University College London, examined the risks of listening to loud music in night clubs and at gigs, and by using personal stereos. He found that among regular clubbers, 62% have experienced problems with their hearing, while 72% of those who regularly go to rock and pop concerts have also experienced hearing problems. These include premature hearing loss, and tinnitus—a sensation of ringing in the ears—which has increased threefold since the early 1980s. While the symptom may seem trivial, it is a sign that damage to the ear has occurred. Dullness of hearing and sensitivity to noise after exposure to loud music are also signs of hearing damage reported by the study group.

The report highlights a 10 year Norwegian study which monitored hearing loss among 18 year olds. Over this time, the hearing loss among the study group increased from 15% to 35%, and this increase was linked to an increase in exposure to leisure related noise. After a public information campaign, the rate of hearing loss dropped back to 15% within 7 years.

The RNID has launched a “Safer Sound” campaign, which recommends actions such as wearing earplugs and standing away from speakers in night clubs and at gigs, as well as playing personal stereos at a lower volume. Recommendations also highlight the importance of recognising the signs of hearing exhaustion, such as tinnitus and dullness of hearing. The campaign is being supported by big name disc jockeys, such as Judge Jules and Tall Paul, in an effort to get the message across to teenagers.

“The evidence is clear,” says James Strachan, chief executive of the RNID. “Loud music can damage your hearing, and more young people than ever are putting themselves at risk. The real tragedy is that this type of hearing loss is preventable, yet once damage occurs there is no cure.”