HLAA Research Symposium 2023: Prevention of Music-Induced Hearing Disorders

The great irony of being a musician is that the sound produced—the very essence of the musical experience—represents a long-term health risk to the artist. This presentation discusses why musicians are at risk, the five most common types of hearing disorders affecting them, and the necessary components of a hearing loss prevention program, including a case history of music exposures, hearing evaluations, sound level assessment and education on music-induced hearing disorders.

Hearing protection devices designed specifically for performing musicians are explored, including the proper use of spectrum-neutral high-fidelity earplugs and in-ear monitoring systems as tools to control sound levels without detracting from the quality of musical performance.

Prevention of Music-Induced Hearing Disorders: Strategies and Technology presented by Michael Santucci, Au.D., F‐AAA, founder and president, Sensaphonics, Inc.

This video from the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), is edited from a live Research Symposium presented on June 30, 2023 at its annual convention in New Orleans.

Presented by

Michael Santucci, Au.D., F‐AAA

Founder and president, Sensaphonics, Inc.

Dr. Michael Santucci is a Doctor of Audiology and president of Sensaphonics, Inc., which he founded in 1985 to develop custom in‐ear products for the music industry and other hearing conservation applications. For over 30 years, he has provided audiological consultation and customized hearing protection strategies to Chicago, Illinois area musicians and many of today’s most prolific performers from all genres of music. Michael serves as Chair of the Music Induced Hearing Loss Task Force for the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) and of the Technical Committee on Hearing and Hearing Loss Prevention for the Audio Engineering Society (AES). Since 2015, he has participated as an expert consultant for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Listen Safe Initiative; he also lectures and consults for the nonprofit Recording Academy^® MusiCares program. This past February, the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) recognized his innovative contributions in engineering, technology and advocacy with its 2023 Samuel Lybarger Industry Award. Michael was the inaugural winner of the NHCA and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Safe in Sound Award and Beltone’s prestigious Larry Mauldin Award and has twice been presented with the AES Governor’s Award.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute On Deafness And Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R13DC017913. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.