Email a Friend
Print Article
Rock Concert Dangers
On the WebMD Ear Disorders message board, I often get questions from people that have recently attended rock concerts regarding their ears. The acoustic levels at concerts vary greatly, but can be extremely damaging. I have people post about hearing loss, tinnitus, and even eardrums that have been shattered.
I have only attended ONE rock concert in my life. Not wanting to date myself, but it was a Beach Boys concert in San Francisco in the early 1970"s. Compared to the heavy metal and hard rock acoustics of today"s bands, the Beach Boys would seem as benign as a Lawrence Welk Show. Having grown up with the Beach Boys in the late 60"s and new to California at the time, I was very excited about seeing them.
I was seated far in the back in the nosebleed seats. The music and crowd noises were deafening. I left that concert with ringing in my ears, and it lasted for a week. That concert was before the speakers and amplifiers were the size of trains. Now, when you attend a rock concert, you put your ears at serious risk.
Early this week, I was scheduled to see a 15 year old with an undisclosed injury sustained at a local rock concert. (Don"t ask me who was playing. I am not into alternative bands). Assuming it was his ears, I prepared my standard stupidity lecture, like not wear earplugs, or being too close to those speakers.
When I entered the room, he was listening to music on his iPod at a respectable volume. He wasn"t seeing me for an acoustic injury at all. He had an injury to his nose! I immediately assumed he was in some type of altercation, perhaps in a mosh pit,
"You are going to love this story", his mother said.
During this very loud and highly-charged concert, this young man migrated closer and closer to the stage, voluntarily, or perhaps being shoved and pushed. Suddenly, without warning, the lead singer dove into the audience for some stage-diving / people-surfing.
As he was being carried by this screaming sea of outstretched arms, the lead singer"s buttocks collided into the surprised nose of my patient. Typical of my sometimes, inappropriate comedic retorts, I asked, "Well, what did it smell like?"
He replied, "I don"t remember, but it sure hurt."
Terrible puns rapidly pulsed through my brain as I tried desperately NOT to comment on the "crack problems" at rock concerts, being ASSaulted, or about his experience of being a true butt-head.
Not wanting to be nosey (Oops, I did it again), I professionally regained my composure, nodded attentively, and sent him off for an x-ray of that butt-damaged beak. No fractures...just another great story to share on the Blog.
One of the more interesting things about medicine is that you never know what is behind that examining room door until you open it.
If I ever go to a rock concert again (unlikely), I will definitely look out for flying butts. In addition to earplugs, I may now start recommending full-face helmets (and nose plugs!).
Related Topics: Rolling Stones: How They Keep Rockin', Baby Boomers Listen Up
Technorati Tags: hearing loss, rock concerts, odd injuries,
broken nose
I have only attended ONE rock concert in my life. Not wanting to date myself, but it was a Beach Boys concert in San Francisco in the early 1970"s. Compared to the heavy metal and hard rock acoustics of today"s bands, the Beach Boys would seem as benign as a Lawrence Welk Show. Having grown up with the Beach Boys in the late 60"s and new to California at the time, I was very excited about seeing them.
I was seated far in the back in the nosebleed seats. The music and crowd noises were deafening. I left that concert with ringing in my ears, and it lasted for a week. That concert was before the speakers and amplifiers were the size of trains. Now, when you attend a rock concert, you put your ears at serious risk.
Early this week, I was scheduled to see a 15 year old with an undisclosed injury sustained at a local rock concert. (Don"t ask me who was playing. I am not into alternative bands). Assuming it was his ears, I prepared my standard stupidity lecture, like not wear earplugs, or being too close to those speakers.
When I entered the room, he was listening to music on his iPod at a respectable volume. He wasn"t seeing me for an acoustic injury at all. He had an injury to his nose! I immediately assumed he was in some type of altercation, perhaps in a mosh pit,
"You are going to love this story", his mother said.
During this very loud and highly-charged concert, this young man migrated closer and closer to the stage, voluntarily, or perhaps being shoved and pushed. Suddenly, without warning, the lead singer dove into the audience for some stage-diving / people-surfing.
As he was being carried by this screaming sea of outstretched arms, the lead singer"s buttocks collided into the surprised nose of my patient. Typical of my sometimes, inappropriate comedic retorts, I asked, "Well, what did it smell like?"
He replied, "I don"t remember, but it sure hurt."
Terrible puns rapidly pulsed through my brain as I tried desperately NOT to comment on the "crack problems" at rock concerts, being ASSaulted, or about his experience of being a true butt-head.
Not wanting to be nosey (Oops, I did it again), I professionally regained my composure, nodded attentively, and sent him off for an x-ray of that butt-damaged beak. No fractures...just another great story to share on the Blog.
One of the more interesting things about medicine is that you never know what is behind that examining room door until you open it.
If I ever go to a rock concert again (unlikely), I will definitely look out for flying butts. In addition to earplugs, I may now start recommending full-face helmets (and nose plugs!).
Related Topics: Rolling Stones: How They Keep Rockin', Baby Boomers Listen Up
Technorati Tags: hearing loss, rock concerts, odd injuries,
broken nose
1 Comments:
I get about 100 emails a month from people asking about relief for their ears that are ringing after attending a rock concert or a weekend of clubbing.
The ringing is a direct result of damage to the delicate organs of the inner ear and is a warning.
I normally counsel they such takes steps to prevent further damage acurring by wearng high quality ear plugs at the very least.
Post a Comment