Whether you enjoy the soothing classical music at the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra or prefer to dance to pop concerts at the Ford Center, attending live shows is a fun way to spend your evenings. If you’re among the 1.5 billion people worldwide with hearing loss, you may worry about how the condition will impact your musical enjoyment.
Let’s take a look at a few tips to help you get the most out of every concert.
Check Your Hearing Aid Settings
Different environments require different hearing aid settings. For example, you wouldn’t use the same volume for a noisy restaurant as a quiet park. Before heading to the concert, adjust your device settings to match the venue. This might include changing the volume, noise reduction, directional microphone or music settings.
Depending on your hearing loss and the concert type, you may not need to wear your devices during the show. People with mild hearing loss likely won’t need the amplification assistance at blaring rock shows. In contrast, people attending an acoustic show at a small venue may benefit from wearing their devices.
Clean Your Hearing Aids
If you’re wearing your hearing aids to the concert, remember to clean them beforehand. Remove wax and other debris with a hearing aid cleaning kit and check that your devices are charged or have fresh batteries.
Wear Hearing Protection
If you aren’t wearing hearing aids, you should be wearing earplugs. Even if you already have hearing loss, protecting your remaining hearing is crucial. There are a few different types of earplugs available:
- Disposable foam
- Custom molded
- Silicone
- High-fidelity (made to dampen sound without sacrificing music quality)
If you wear hearing aids to the concert, you can wear earmuffs over your devices to protect your hearing.
Check Accessibility Options
Some venues have accessibility options like priority seating, sign language interpreters and loop systems that stream sound directly to t-coil hearing aids. You can check accessibility information on the venue’s website or call ahead.
Schedule a Hearing Appointment
If you already wear hearing aids but aren’t sure how to manage them during concerts, contact Hearing Healthcare Center, Inc. for expert advice. If you’re having difficulty hearing but haven’t sought help, schedule a hearing test with us today.