The Risk of Asymmetrical Noise Exposure among Music Students

The amount of sound exposure was measured during music practice for a group of students at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. The measurements were taken separately at the left and at the right ear, using a two-channel noise dosimeter. The results show that the sound exposure during rehearsals, concerts and individual practice of music students exceeds in many cases the permissible limit of 85 dB*. For some instruments (e.g., the flute or the trombone) the sound exposure is asymmetrical, which means that the sound levels are different at the left and at the right ear. Such an exposure may cause an asymmetrical noise-induced hearing loss reflected by different noise induced permanent threshold shifts (NIPTS) in the left and in the right ear. This paper presents examples of sound exposure levels measured in the left and in the right ear of various instrumental musicians.