Three Days Later and My Ears Are Still Ringing
I’m writing this on Tuesday morning and I can still hear this constant high-pitched noise from the festival I went to at the weekend. It’s properly annoying and I’m starting to worry it might not go away.
Should have listened to my friend who kept mentioning earplugs before we went, but honestly? The thought never crossed my mind. I’ve been going to festivals and gigs for about ten years now and never once considered that I might be damaging my hearing. You just don’t think about it when you’re caught up in the music and the atmosphere.
Did a bit of reading yesterday and apparently 60% of festival attendees don’t wear any hearing protection at all. That’s quite shocking when you think about the potential consequences, but I can understand why. Until this weekend, I would have been in that 60%.
The Volume Levels Are Higher Than You’d Think
I looked into the actual decibel levels after my ears started playing up. These festivals typically reach between 110 and 120 decibels, which sounds abstract until you compare it to other things. Normal conversation sits around 60 decibels, and a lawnmower is about 90.
The concerning thing is that anything over 85 decibels can cause gradual hearing damage, and it’s permanent. Nobody mentions this when you buy your ticket or queue up for your first gig. The ringing I’m experiencing now – that’s tinnitus, and it’s basically a sign that damage has already been done.
What really bothers me is finding out that this damage accumulates over time. Every festival, every concert, every time you stand close to the speakers adds to the total. And apparently your ears need 16 hours of complete quiet to recover from just two hours of exposure at 100 decibels.
When have I ever given my ears 16 hours of quiet after a festival? I’ll drive home with music on, then straight back to normal life with traffic noise, music, TV. No wonder people end up with problems later on.
The Long-Term Picture Is Worrying
My younger brother goes to even more festivals than I do – sometimes three or four in a single summer. He’s 23 and his hearing seems absolutely fine, but apparently that’s how it works. The problems don’t show up until you’re older.
My dad went to loads of gigs in the 70s and 80s when bands were genuinely loud – Motorhead, Deep Purple, that sort of thing. He’s 66 now and definitely struggles with his hearing more than he should. Always asking people to repeat themselves, has the TV volume up quite high. I used to think that was just normal ageing, but now I’m wondering if those gigs contributed to it.
One festival weekend can apparently do as much hearing damage as months of everyday noise exposure. That’s mental when you think about it. All those years of careful exposure building up, and then you undo it in three days because you wanted to get close to the stage.
Why People Don’t Bother With Earplugs
I found a survey that said 92% of festival-goers agree that earplugs are the best protection for your hearing. But obviously most people still don’t wear them, myself included until now.
I think I know why. The only earplugs I’d ever tried were those foam ones you get at the chemist – the bright orange or yellow ones that completely block everything out. They’re uncomfortable after about an hour, you can’t have a proper conversation with anyone, and the music sounds muffled and distorted.
There’s also something about the image of it. You’re at a rock festival trying to look cool, and you’ve got these obvious bits of foam sticking out of your ears. Not exactly what you’re going for.
But mostly it’s the sound quality issue. If you’re paying £200 for a festival ticket and travelling hundreds of miles to see your favourite bands, the last thing you want is to feel like you’re listening through a wall.
Turns Out I Was Wrong About Modern Earplugs
This is where I feel a bit stupid. I went to Boots yesterday to get some painkillers and ended up looking at their selection of music earplugs. Had no idea this was even a category.
These newer ones are made from silicone rather than foam, they’re much more discreet, and they’re specifically designed for live music. Instead of just blocking all sound, they use filters that reduce the volume while keeping the sound quality intact.
The pharmacist explained that you can still have conversations wearing them, and apparently the music actually sounds clearer because your ears aren’t being overwhelmed by excessive volume. The bass, treble, vocals – everything stays balanced, just at a safer level.
She mentioned that proper musicians and sound engineers wear them for entire working days without discomfort. These aren’t the cheap foam plugs I was thinking of – they’re actually designed to enhance the listening experience rather than ruin it.
Should Have Done This Years Ago
I’m genuinely annoyed with myself. All those gigs where I stood right at the front thinking louder was better, all those festivals where I never gave my hearing a second thought. If someone had properly explained that you could protect your ears without compromising the experience, I would have been interested.
My friend who works in audio production has apparently been using them for ages. She can work 12-hour festival days without any ear fatigue or ringing afterwards. Would have been useful information to share before now.
The thing that really gets me is that these earplugs apparently make everything sound better, not worse. Less distortion when the volume gets extreme, better separation between different instruments. Your ears can actually process what they’re hearing instead of just getting battered by pure volume.
Time to Make a Change
I’ve got tickets for two festivals next year and I’m not going through this tinnitus experience again. I spent most of yesterday evening researching different options online, reading reviews, trying to figure out what would actually work.
After all that research, I ended up ordering a pair based on recommendations from people who seemed to know what they were talking about. Cost about £15, which seems reasonable when you consider I spent more than that on drinks in one afternoon at the festival. And definitely worth it if it means I can keep going to live music without worrying about my hearing getting progressively worse.
My dad always said you don’t appreciate something until it’s gone, and I’m starting to understand what he meant. If you’re still going to festivals and haven’t thought about hearing protection, it’s worth looking into the modern options. Your future self will probably thank you for it.
The Ones I Actually Bought: Alpine PartyPlug Earplugs
After all that research, I ended up going with the Alpine PartyPlug earplugs. Been using them for a few weeks now and they’re actually pretty decent – definitely better than I expected.
They’re Surprisingly Comfortable
The thing that put me off earplugs before was how uncomfortable they were, but these Alpine ones are quite different. They’ve got this smooth, tapered shape that slides in without any faffing about, and they come with three different sized sleeves so you can find the right fit.
Once they’re in, I genuinely forget I’m wearing them. They sit quite low in your ear so they don’t stick out like those awful foam ones. You can even wear headphones over them if you need to, which is handy for the train journey home from festivals.
The Sound Quality Thing
This was my biggest worry – that everything would sound rubbish. But they’ve got a noise reduction rating of 22 decibels, which seems to be the sweet spot. Takes the edge off those mental volume levels without making everything sound like you’re underwater.
I can still hear conversations clearly, still pick out individual instruments in the music. Everything just sounds… cleaner somehow? Less distorted when the volume gets extreme. You don’t feel cut off from what’s happening around you, which was always my fear.
Worth the Money
These are proper reusable ones made from silicone, so they should last ages. I’ve taken them to three gigs now and they’re holding up well – no signs of wear or anything. Much better value than buying those disposable foam ones every time you go out.
The smooth design means they’re easy to get in and out without losing the seal, which was always a problem with the cheaper alternatives.
Actually Glad I Made the Switch
Honestly, these Alpine PartyPlugs have been a game changer. They’re comfortable enough to wear for hours, the sound quality is actually better than without them in loud environments, and they’re discreet enough that you don’t look like you’re wearing industrial ear protection.
If you’re still on the fence about hearing protection, these are definitely worth trying. They’ve got that balance between protection and audio quality that I was looking for.
Photo by Zoom Health
Zoom Health is a leading UK supplier of Home Health Tests and Earplugs
