Our hearing is a wonderful and complex system that allows us to engage with the world around us in an entirely personal and unique way. You may not have considered it before, but just like you have a visual horizon, so too do you have an acoustic one. Everything within your own horizon of sound […]
Losing hearing to an art devoted to sound creation may sound ironic, but it does happen. Here we tease apart the process, helping you identify signs of injury so you can be aware and take action. Music Induced Hearing Loss Our ears are like any other part of our body, with overexertion they get tired. If […]
In the 1600’s, a man by the name of Pliny the Elder coined a term to describe a sound that had plagued some humans for centuries; tinnitus. From the Latin word Tinnire (to ring), it describes the ability to hear an internal sound, with no external source. There are two main types of tinnitus, objective and subjective. […]
Hyperacusis is defined as an abnormal intolerance, heightened sense of volume and physical discomfort in response to certain sounds, which other people can tolerate comfortably. Sounds that are typically difficult to tolerate are loud/impact/sustained sounds, particularly if they are unexpected or close to the ears. Hyperacusis can develop due to a conscious and/or subconscious sense […]
Diplacusis was first reported by George E. Shambaugh in 1907. The name originates from the Greek words diplous (double) and akousis (hearing), translating quite literally to double hearing. It is an auditory phenomenon whereby the affected individual hears the same, singular sound as two different pitches. There are a few different types of diplacusis. Most commonly, the sound is heard […]
At some point in every musician or music lovers career, there has to come a moment where you make friends with earplugs, and fortunately for us, there are now many more options than the old rusty foam plug. Broadly speaking, there are two main types of hearing protectors available; passive and active. Passive hearing protectors […]
By Ian O’Brien PhD MAudSA(CCP) While hearing loss among classical musicians is certainly not a recent topic (think Beethoven), the problems faced by musicians hoping to avoid damaging their hearing from overexposure to excessive sound while playing has really only been the subject of serious research for the last forty years or so. While this […]
By Crystal Clear Ears Immersing ourselves into the music of our favourite band and feeling the sensation of loud music tremble through our body is all part of the concert experience. In decades past, one of the expected outcomes of a concert was ringing in the ears and a muffled sensation. In recent years, large […]
For some people, having their hearing tested can be a daunting thought, but it really doesn’t have to be. We’ve heard many a musician put it off, fearing the worst, but more often than not it brings good news – and more importantly, reassurance and empowerment in equal measure. Your audiologist is there to guide […]
