A new survey by the Royal National Institute for Deaf people (RNID) has suggested that over half of Generation Z have already experienced issues with their hearing due to their exposure to loud music.
The research asked 2000 people aged between 18 and 28 whether they had experienced tinnitus or temporary hearing loss or both, to which 58% responded in the affirmative.
And they know the risks. According to the survey 75% said that they were aware of the risks of permanent hearing loss if they were exposed to dangerous noise levels at gigs and festivals. Despite this, 35% said they did not plan on wearing earplugs or hearing protection, which, to be fair, is roughly the same as other age groups.
Interestingly, 28% of respondents said they would be more inclined to use earplugs “if they could still enjoy live music”, with 20% saying they would wear them if they were given out free or if they were more comfortable. Food for thought then, for both earplug manufacturers and live promoters.
“These findings highlight just how often people are experiencing the dangerous side effects of being exposed to loud music, despite people’s apparent high awareness of the risks," said RNID's Audiology Manager Franki Oliver.
“Exposure to loud sound levels is one of the leading causes of hearing loss and tinnitus - but it's also one of the most preventable - so it's encouraging to see that more people would be willing to take steps to protect their hearing if they knew they’d still enjoy the full live music experience."
Incidentally, if you are concerned about your hearing, the RNID offers a free online hearing test that you can access by clicking here.
