It has been a busy year for music lovers who enjoy attending concerts. While it started off with the much-anticipated series of Coldplay concerts, it was followed by performances by Cigarettes After Sex, Ed Sheeran, and then Green Day, Glass Animals, Shawn Mendes, Louis Tomlinson and Aurora among others at Lollapalooza. It did not end there because Guns N Roses completely brought out their best to a packed Mahalaxmi Racecourse. With a packed schedule across five months, Indian music concert attendees had already witnessed Maroon 5 and Dua Lipa before that, showcasing how many concerts have happened in less than a year in India. 

Every year, World Music Day is observed on June 21. For India, which is at the peak of this concert culture, music is now an experience. Interestingly, the music festival season was traditionally thought to be between September and May, but the last few years have shown how international artists are visiting India all throughout the year to perform some of their greatest hits. The whole experience sounds like a lot of fun but what many may not realise it how attending many of these concerts can affect your ears. Yes, your ears. Especially if you stand close or next to the speakers. 

With the ongoing music concert boom in India, mid-day spoke to Dr Jarvis Pereira, ENT expert at Holy Family Hospital in Bandra and Dr. Amol Patil, senior consultant, ENT, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital in Vile Parle to know how listening to loud music at concerts affects your ears. They not only highlight why the ears need to be protected while enjoying the performance but also highlight how you can do it.

Are people at risk of hearing issues after attending music festivals with loud music?
Patil: People are definitely at the risk of hearing issues after attending music festivals. The loud noise exposure leads to hearing loss -- sometimes sudden, most often long-term loss.

Pereira: Yes, listening to loud music at music festivals can impair hearing temporarily or sometimes even permanently. It depends on the duration of exposure to loud music and the proximity of the individual to the loudspeaker. Prolonged exposure can definitely cause tinnitus or noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The risk increases with higher decibel levels, longer exposure and close proximity to the loudspeaker.

How does loud music at festivals harm the ears?
Patil: Sudden nerve-related hearing loss common after loud noise exposure affects the inner ear of people.

Pereira: Loud music generates sound waves that can overstimulate and damage the hair cells in the cochlea (inner ear). These cells are responsible for converting sound vibrations into electrical signals for the brain. Once damaged, they cannot regenerate, leading to hearing loss or persistent ringing (tinnitus).

What is the ideal amount of decibels to listen to music at festivals? Where can people ideally stand?
Patil: Ideally, sound lesser than 70 decibel is relatively safe. It is advisable to stay away from loudspeakers.

Pereira: The ideal scenarios are:
1. Ideal decibels: Safe listening levels are around 70-85 dB. Exposure to levels above 100 dB (common at festivals) for more than 15 minutes can be harmful.  
2. Ideal placement: Stand 10-20 meters away from speakers for reduced exposure. Avoid standing directly in front of the speakers or subwoofers.

What are the short-term and long-term effects of listening to loud music at festivals?
Patil: Sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency leading to significant loss, the reason being sudden exposure to high decibel sounds. Repeated exposure can also lead to long term hearing loss over many years.

Pereira: There are both short-term and long-term effects on listening to loud music at festivals:
The short-term effects include:
1. Temporary hearing loss or muffled hearing.  
2. Ringing in the ears (temporary tinnitus).  
3. Ear discomfort or pain.