Hearing in rock musicians

Musicians are known to have an increased prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus due to noise-induced cochlear damage. Rock music is popularly considered a major culprit in terms of excessive sound levels, but the literature on hearing in rock musicians is sparse. In this dissertation the hearing levels of a large number of rock musicians are assessed in relation to factors such as degree of exposure, instrument category, use of hearing protection and the presence of various psychological characteristics. In the first part of the dissertation, the degree of hearing loss is assessed using transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs), under the assumption that cochlear injury could be identified at an early stage by measuring otoacoustic emissions in musical noise-exposed individuals. Within the rock musician sample, a loss of TEOAE SNR in the 4 kHz half- octave frequency band was observed. However, this loss was strongly predicted by age and pure-tone thresholds in the 3 - 6 kHz range. In the second part of the dissertation, the degree of hearing loss is assessed using pure-tone audiometry. A hearing loss in 37.8% (95% C.I.: 28.8 - 46.8%) of the rock musicians was observed and significantly poorer hearing thresholds were found at most pure-tone frequencies with the most pronounced threshold shift at 6 kHz. The use of hearing protection had a preventive effect. Unexpectedly, the degree of musical performance exposure was inversely related to degree of hearing loss. In the third part of the dissertation, the prevalence and symptomatology of tinnitus is assessed, and the distribution of anxiety and depression symptoms among rock musicians with or without tinnitus is analyzed. The aim was to study how mental health indicators and internal locus of control influence their tinnitus-related concerns, and to what degree tinnitus affects their life. A prevalence of permanent tinnitus at 19.8% (95% C.I.: 14.3 - 29.7%) was identified in rock musicians, which is significantly higher than in a normal population. There is an association between chronic tinnitus and depressive symptoms in rock musicians, but the results are ambiguous. There was an increased risk for anxiety and alcohol abuse in the rock musician sample, but these factors were unrelated to severity of tinnitus. 4 Neither pure-tone hearing thresholds nor TEOAEs differed significantly between the tinnitus- affected musicians and non-tinnitus-affected musicians. This suggests that cochlear damage is not the sole causative agent in tinnitus sufferers. This work contributes to the understanding of the relationship between rock musical noise exposure and hearing loss. Rock musicians are at increased risk for developing cochlear damage leading to hearing loss and tinnitus, but tinnitus may also be caused by other factors. These findings merit further research

Hearing loss and tinnitus in rock musicians: A Norwegian survey

Our focus in this study was to assess hearing thresholds and the prevalence and characteristics of tinnitus in a large group of rock musicians based in Norway. A further objective was to assess related factors such as exposure, instrument category, and the preventive effect of hearing protection. The study was a cross-sectional survey of rock musicians selected at random from a defined cohort of musicians. A random control group was included for comparison. We recruited 111 active musicians from the Oslo region, and a control group of 40 nonmusicians from the student population at the University of TromsØ. The subjects were investigated using clinical examination, pure tone audiometry, tympanometry, and a questionnaire. We observed a hearing loss in 37.8% of the rock musicians. Significantly poorer hearing thresholds were seen at most pure-tone frequencies in musicians than controls, with the most pronounced threshold shift at 6 kHz. The use of hearing protection, in particular custom-fitted earplugs, has a preventive effect but a minority of rock musicians apply them consistently. The degree of musical performance exposure was inversely related to the degree of hearing loss in our sample. Bass and guitar players had higher hearing thresholds than vocalists. We observed a 20% prevalence of chronic tinnitus but none of the affected musicians had severe tinnitus symptomatology. There was no statistical association between permanent tinnitus and hearing loss in our sample. We observed an increased prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus in our sample of Norwegian rock musicians but the causal relationship between musical exposure and hearing loss or tinnitus is ambiguous. We recommend the use of hearing protection in rock musicians

Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in rock musicians

<p><i>Objective</i>: Our focus in this study was the assessment of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) in a large group of rock musicians. A further objective was to analyse tinnitus among rock musicians as related to TEOAEs. <i>Design</i>: The study was a cross-sectional survey of rock musicians selected at random. A control group was included at random for comparison. <i>Study sample</i>: We recruited 111 musicians and a control group of 40 non-musicians. Testing was conducted by using clinical examination, pure tone audiometry, TEOAEs and a questionnaire. <i>Results</i>: TEOAE SNR in the half-octave frequency band centred on 4 kHz was significantly lower bilaterally in musicians than controls. This effect was strongly predicted by age and pure-tone hearing threshold levels in the 3–6 kHz range. Bilateral hearing thresholds were significantly higher at 6 kHz in musicians. Twenty percent of the musicians had permanent tinnitus. There was no association between the TEOAE parameters and permanent tinnitus. <i>Conclusions</i>: Our results suggest an incipient hearing loss at 6 kHz in rock musicians. Loss of TEOAE SNR in the 4 kHz half-octave frequency band was observed, but it was related to higher mean 3–6 kHz hearing thresholds and age. A large proportion of rock musicians have permanent tinnitus.</p