The hearing function of sound engineers: A hearing conservation perspective.
Liepollo Ntlhakana, Angie A Heliopoulos
PMID 32370523WHAT IT FOUND
All eight sound engineers passed standard hearing tests, but five showed high-frequency notches and three reported tinnitus or aural fullness.
The academy had no hearing conservation programme, leaving these early signs of noise-induced damage unmonitored.
Key findings
01All participants had hearing within normal limits on screening and diagnostic audiometry, yet five showed notched configurations in high frequencies and three reported continuous tinnitus or aural fullness.
02The study site lacked a hearing conservation programme, with none of the required pillars such as noise measurement or medical surveillance in place.
03Half of the participants reported using hearing protection devices only sometimes or not at all because they limited their ability to hear music.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (8 participants), limiting generalisability. Noise exposure levels were not objectively measured, relying on self-report. The study site was a single academy, which may not reflect broader industry practices.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that passing a standard hearing screening means the ears are undamaged. Early noise-induced changes like high-frequency notches and tinnitus can exist even when pure-tone thresholds are within normal limits.