How Loud Is Too Loud at Concerts?

Though concerts may only last a few hours, exposure to loud sounds can cause irreversible hearing loss. Sound-level meters measure noise levels, and noises at 85 dBA can lead to hearing loss if you listen to them for more than eight hours at a time.1 

According to the World Health Organisation, over 1 billion people around the world are at risk of hearing loss due to noise exposure in recreational settings.2 

 

Top Tips for Safe Listening at Concerts

Prolonged exposure to loud sounds can injure delicate parts of the inner ear and may lead to noise-induced hearing loss.3 Thankfully, you can prevent potential damage by practising the following safe listening techniques. 

  • Wear ear protection: use high-fidelity earplugs to reduce volume without distorting the sound. Foam earplugs are also a budget-friendly option, or try AudioNova Music as a discrete hearing protector.
  • Be mindful of your location: at concerts, be sure not to stand directly in front of the speakers. Choose a location further from the speakers to reduce noise exposure. 
  • Take listening breaks: rest your ears by stepping out of the venue for a few minutes at a time. This will give your ears time to recover. 
  • Monitor the volume on personal devices: it can be hard to gauge safe listening volume levels, but there are apps to help. Consider using Decibel Pro or Decibel X to monitor the volume at a concert.

 

How to Manage Temporary Hearing Loss After a Concert

If you’ve experienced the thrill of watching a live music performance, you may also know the feeling of temporary hearing loss after the concert. Muffled sound and a slight ringing in the ears are common side effects of noise-induced hearing loss after a concert. 

Here’s how you can ease the effects of temporary hearing loss after a concert. 

  • Rest your ears: don’t take the concert home with you. Avoid loud environments or using headphones with loud music for the next 24-48 hours.3
  • Avoid caffeine and alcohol: caffeine and alcohol can also affect your hearing, with studies finding that excess alcohol consumption increases the amount of time it takes to process sound.4 
  • Prevention is key: consistent loud sounds above 85 dBA can lead to permanent hearing loss, damaging the hair cells in your ears. So always practice safe listening habits at concerts.3

 

While hearing loss after a concert is likely temporary, with symptoms often easing in a few hours to a few days, it’s important to seek professional help if you suspect further damage. Visit your local Connect Hearing clinic, where our friendly team will check your hearing and help you manage any concerns so you can get back to enjoying live music.  

 

References:

  1. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (n.d.), Loud Noise Dangers, www.asha.org, accessed 5 December 2024. 
  2. World Health Organization (1 February 2024), Deafness, www.who.int, accessed 5 December 2024. 
  3. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (n.d.), Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, www.nidcd.nih.gov, accessed 5 December 2024. 
  4. Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research (28 March 2004), Cumulative lifelong alcohol consumption alters auditory brainstem potentials, National Library of Medicine, accessed 5 December 2024.