How Musicians Differ from Their Industrial Colleagues

Speaker: Marshall Chasin, AuD
Organization: Musicians' Clinics of Canada
Job Title: Audiologist

High levels of sound (music or noise), if it exceeds the maximum dose, will cause increased cochlear cell death (apoptosis), along with neural degeneration. In this sense, the effects of music exposure are similar to the effects of noise exposure. However, musicians don’t expose themselves to high levels > 40 hours/week.
The talk highlights three areas where the effects differ between musicians and industrial colleagues: audiometric asymmetries, tinnitus association with stress, and environmental changes musicians may make to lessen music exposure.

• Learning Objective 1: After this course, participants will be able to examine audiometric findings and delineate which asymmetries can be explained by music exposure and which would require additional assessment.
• Learning Objective 2: After this course, participants will be able to assess complaints about tinnitus from young musicians who possibly have normal, or near-normal hearing thresholds.
• Learning Objective 3: After this course, participants will be able to counsel the performing artist on environmental changes that can potentially minimize their exposure to higher sound levels.

About Marshall

Dr. Marshall Chasin in the Head of Audiology at the Musicians’ Clinics of Canada and is the author of over 200 articles and 8 books, including the recently published Music and Hearing Aids. Marshall is the recipient of many awards over the years including the 2004 Audiology Foundation of America Professional Leadership Award, the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Award, the 2013 Jost Millar Shield award from the British Society of Audiology and the 2017 Canada 150 Medal.

Return to Agenda