vocalists at risk?

Question:

Any performing musicians/vocalists at risk?

..for hearing impairment or loss? Can you explain how? I heard perhaps violinists may have arthritis/hearing loss...? Is this true!

What about Beethoven...he suffered hearing loss? He surely played piano..

How does being a performer and especially vocalists (who "plug in" to ear buds) affect their hearing? Or any other health effects?

Thank you.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Performing musicians are totally at risk.

And it's easy to suffer from hearing loss sitting in front of a brass section in an orchestra: they are LOUD. While the audience doesn't suffer as much at these types of concerts, as opposed to concerts with big loud speakers, the woodwind section especially suffers a lot.

Sitting day after day and spending hours of rehearsal sitting right in front of these guys is killer on hearing. You typically can't just go and wear earplugs, because you really have to be listening to the other players in your section, for musical and tuning issues.

Another factor is all the hours spent sitting in a tiny room practising your instrument. This especially effects hearing if you play a loud instrument. If you're practising piccolo, you almost HAVE to wear earplugs, or you'll suffer damage.

Yeah, Beethoven went deaf, but he played piano and composed, he wasn't playing in an orchestra or with others. And... we don't all posess the genius that he did.

And then there's the million physical problems with being a performing musician. I'm only 21 years old, and sometimes my right hand aches so badly that I can not hold a pencil with it. These sorts of ailments can be avoided with correct and careful practising.

However, with all the hours spent practising the same thing over and over, and doing the same actions with your hands/arms/body forever and ever, it really takes it's toll on you. Tedonitis is very common in musicians, as is carpal tunnel.

Sometimes I feel arthritic. But I think that's just me being miserable.

Really, to deal with this sort of thing, you just have to be careful. Don't over-do practising, wear earplugs if you can, that sort of thing.