3 tips to protect your ears at music festivals this summer

WASHINGTON - Festivals are great fun until your hearing is affected. Over time, listening to loud music can cause hearing loss. Dr. Melissa Heche, a hearing and speech pathologist, spoke to FOX 5 on how your hearing can be negatively impacted when exposed to music set at a high volume.

"It is fairly common if you are exposed to loud noise, whether it be at a small and large concert or at a festival," said Heche. "If you don’t protect yourself, there can be some damage to your hearing or auditory system, which ultimately leads to hearing loss."

According to reports, the volume levels at music festivals can reach in excess of 110 decibels, which is considerably higher than the generally accepted level of less than 70 decibels.  As sounds get louder, the amount of time you spend will also increase, gradually damaging your hearing. 

"The perception of loudness can be subjective, but the measurement of it and how dangerous it is, is not subjective.  The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health states that anything at 85 decibels and above can be dangerous to your hearing," said Heche. 

Research suggests that over half of festival-goers are subjected to hearing complaints after a festival. 57% are more likely to develop tinnitus, a ringing noise associated with hearing loss.

Here's what Heche says you can do to protect your ears. 

Measure the sound

Heche says a way to protect your hearing when going to concerts or festivals is to measure your surroundings. 

"It’s definitely safest to go out and figure out that when you’re in concert or festival, it’s probably going to be louder than you think, but it’s very easy to measure this as well," said Heche. "You can arm yourself with the knowledge of what you are surrounded to, just by downloading an app to your phone and turning it on, and it will measure your surroundings." 

Use earplugs

Heche says using earplugs will provide you with some hearing protection.

 "Your plug is the fast and easy way. I always tell people to bring earplugs with them, and in many festivals and concerts nowadays they do sell them, so you can have access to them there," said Heche. 

Limit your distance to the stage

Another helpful tip that Heche suggests is to be aware of your proximity to the stage and monitors. Limiting your distance from the stage will also help with hearing loss.