Tag: Loud Music

How Do You Become Deaf

How do you become deaf? That is a silly question to ask but there are some people who are born with it while others develop it later on in life. Here are some of the causes why some people have deafness problems.

In the case of people in the music industry, studies have shown that deafness problems are caused by loud music. Rock stars like Eric Clapton and Peter Townshend believe that playing in concerts with the speakers at high volumes causes this especially when these are close to you on stage. Permanent damage can only happen if repeated and this business, if you are on tour, this is bound to happen.

If you were an actor or actress, you could develop deafness problems as a result of an accident. William Shatner and former President Ronald Reagan developed this from a loud explosion and gun shot that was fired too close to where they were. The ringing sound did permanent damage to their ears which is why the former president had to wear hearing aid later on in his political career.

A sickness is another cause of deafness problems. Some athletes and celebrities developed a disease at a young age and never recovered fully from it. Two good examples are Miss America 1995 Heather Whitestone and athlete Jeff Float. Although this presented a handicap, this did not stop these two individuals reaching for the stars.

There are also those who are born deaf and in most cases, this is genetic. This is caused by illnesses such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), toxoplasmosis and herpes. Medicines that are used to treat these problems may also cause damage to the hearing system especially ototoxic drugs.

If the infant is born prematurely, he or she is also at risk of being deaf or becoming deaf in the future. This is because they may be born with severe jaundice or experience a lack of oxygen.

It is also possible that the child may lose their sense of hearing as a result of an accident.

Another possibility why you may soon suffer from deafness problems is aging. Studies have shown that as we age, a combination of loud noise, stress, certain illnesses and medicine may make this happen.

You can also suffer from deafness problems if you work in a construction site or airport especially if you do not have any protection.

Can deafness be prevented? In some cases yes while in others no. Since we have no control as to what happens when the female is pregnant, it is hard to prevent that from happening but once the baby is out, there are steps we can take.

First, as parents we should not bring our kids to places that have loud sounds. Since they are young, their ears have not yet fully developed and are very sensitive.

As they grow older, you should teach them about proper safety techniques like wearing ear protectors especially if they have to some home improvement work or when they decide to pursue this later on as a profession.

We should also watch their health because they could suffer from a disease that could give them this problem. If the doctor is about to prescribe a medicine, make sure that one of its side effects is not deafness.

Who Among The Famous Musicians Had Deafness Problems

Some of the best musicians in the world had deafness problems. If you think that is not possible, here are a few names you have probably heard of.

The first is Ludwig van Beethoven. You know, that classical German composer and pianist. At the age of 26, he began to lose his hearing since he suffered from a severe form of tinnitus which made it difficult for him to perceive and appreciate music.

Although there was no high tech gadgets back then to help with his problem, he used a special rod which he attached to the soundboard on a piano that he could bit so the vibrations would then transfer from the piano to his jaw. This was just one of the many hearing aids he used even when he was almost totally deaf.

But this did not hinder Beethoven from composing. To this day, musicians and music lovers alike still appreciate his work as a talented composer and pianist.

Lets go forward almost about 200 years and surely those who are reading this are familiar with the group the Beatles. Sir George Henry Martin who is a British record producer, arranger and composer also had hearing problems.

He was often referred to as the Fifth Beatle because he was either the producer or co-producer of all the Beatles original records and played the piano in some of their songs. Unlike Beethoven, he retired from music due to hearing loss.

Another musician from Great Britain is the singer Peter Townshend. If you watch CSI, the soundtrack of that series was from this rock group. Just like Beethoven, Townshend suffered from tinnitus as a direct result of over exposure to loud music through the headphones and during concerts.

On the American front, you have Brian Wilson who happens to be a songwriter, bassist, and singer for the Beach Boys. What makes this person different is the fact that he was deaf in one ear not because of any illness. This happened when his father hit him on the head with a board while he was still young. Like the other musicians, this did not stop him from being part of the one best recording bands in music history.

One song diva, movie star and political activist who also has deafness problems is Barbra Streisand. At the age of 7, her doctor diagnosed her with tinnitus. But as we all know, she still pursued her singing career and even did a few films.

Eric Clapton, known guitarist and singer also has deafness problems. He like other musicians believes that this was caused by the loud speakers used during rock concerts. The sad part is that whether it is acute, mild or severe, permanent damage has been done and there is no way to reverse the symptoms.

The good news is that there are now treatments available but its success has varying degrees of reliability.

The musicians that were mentioned here were not deaf when they were born. They lost it later on in life but even with such a handicap, this has not stopped them from writing, producing or playing great music for audiences. If you know someone who has deafness problems, you can still help them be successful in life with a little encouragement.