MIHL among musicians

For musicians whose livelihood depends on rehearsing and playing music 4-8 hours a day, the danger of a hearing impairment is always present. It may be caused by the booming drums or the blaring guitar amplifiers of a hard-rock group. But it can also result from the violin or the piccolo flute of a symphony orchestra. Deafness or hearing impairment caused by prolonged exposure to loud noise, is most frequently connected with industrial workplaces, airports etc. The damaging effects of this kind of noise are also the most studied type of noise-induced hearing loss. But according to an article in "The Hearing Review", February 1999, by otolaryngolist Ken Einhorn, up to 52 % of classical musicians and up to 30 % of rock or pop musicians suffer from music-induced hearing loss - in short MIHL. It is hardly surprising that musicians suffer hearing damage while on the job. The sound pressure of a large concert orchestra can go up to 112 dB - in amplified rock bands even up to 130 dB - far more than that accepted in an industrial environment. For the musicians who are subjected to this kind of noise, the resulting problems can be devastating. The first symptoms may be loss of the ability to hear high-frequency sounds and notes. In many cases, this creates immediate problems for musicians and singers who must be able to hear and play high notes equally well as low ones in order to play or sing along with other orchestra members. Often, a musician who suffers from loss of high frequency hearing will try to compensate by louder playing of the high-pitched notes rendering the performance artistically unacceptable. As the problem grows, the musician may have a strong psychological reaction. He/she may suffer from increased blood pressure, headaches and fatigue or may even experience some sounds or instruments as being pain-fully loud, a state that often leads to tinnitus. Another common symptom is an inability to perceive changes in pitch. This state, known as displacusis, is very problematic for singers, who have to be in control of their voice and stay in tune at all times. A hearing-impaired singer is also at risk of damaging his/her voice by constantly singing louder in order to monitor his/her own voiiice. There is no cure for MIHL, but the use of modern hearing instruments is gaining in acceptance among musicians.