8) WARNING:

High sound pressure levels cause permanent ear damage.

We live in a noisy world. According to H.E.A.R.*, for about 30% of the U.S. population the world is even noisier. That's because about 51 million persons in the U.S., including myself, suffer from tinnitus, a chronic ringing in the ears. It sucks! When I go out in the woods, it's never really quiet, always the ringing. An additional 28 million people suffer from other forms of hearing loss. In most cases hearing loss progresses gradually. You don't really notice. It is almost always irreversible. The most important fact is that it is almost always preventable.

Tinnitus is caused by exposure to loud sound. That would include rock concerts, band rehearsals and performances, even practicing loudly or listening with headphones at high volume. Many rock idols have injured themselves in this way; Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Ted Nugent and Jeff Beck among others.

Ask yourself, after exposure to loud music:

• Do your ears feel warm and fuzzy?
• Do you hear a ringing or buzzing sound?
• Are other sounds around you muffled?
• Do you have trouble hearing what other people are saying?

If you answered "yes", you have already damaged your ears somewhat. Every time this happens, you damage them a little bit more. Over time it adds up to trouble. The best way to protect yourself is to wear earplugs. These range from the $1 foam expanders to custom fitted plugs for many $$. The H.E.A.R. website has a list of various types of plugs. I use the Sonic II Sound Filters made by North Safety Products. They are now called "Sonic Ear Valvs® NRR 6" The "NRR 6" means that they reduce the sound level by 6 decibels, the unit of loudness. Be sure to check this rating when buying ear plugs. Some industrial strength products go up to NRR 30. In my experience that's a little too much for playing music. At NRR 6 they cut down the sound considerably but allow me to hear conversation and music clearly. In a loud environment, I can actually hear speech better with them in. They cost about $15. A steal at twice the price. I wish I had started using them sooner but at least I woke up while my tinnitus is only an irritation, not a disability. I have worked with musicians who were blind, crippled and crazy but a deaf musician has a hard row to hoe. Don't go there.

In short, you have two ears. They don't heal and you can't fix 'em so please take care of them now. The world is a dangerous enough place, don't hurt yourself.

* Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers (H.E.A.R.) http://hearnet.com Their site has massive information on hearing and hearing loss prevention. Take some time and learn all about it.