72% of teenagers participating in a study experienced reduced hearing ability following exposure to a pop rock performance by a popular female singer.
The hearing loss that may be experienced after a pop rock concert is not generally believed to be permanent. It is called a temporary threshold shift and usually disappears within 16-48 hours, after which a person’s hearing returns to previous levels.
Following the concert, over half of the teens said they did not think they were hearing as well after the concert. 25% reported they were experiencing tinnitus or ringing in their ears, which they did not have before the concert.
With enough exposure, deafness can BECOME permanent. Researcher M. Jennifer Derebery says, "Teenagers need to understand a single exposure to loud noise either from a concert or personal listening device can lead to hearing loss. With multiple exposures to noise over 85 decibels, the tiny hair cells may stop functioning and the hearing loss may be permanent." Just at a time when our government is arguing over health care, are we going to become a nation of people who need hearing aids?
The most recent government survey on health in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, in 2005-2006, revealed that 20% of adolescents have at least slight hearing loss, a 31% increase from a similar survey done from 1988-1994.
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