Hear for You: Nonprofit Saving Concert-Goers' Hearing

Have you ever been to a concert and had difficulty hearing afterwards? Loud noises, including amplified music, can wreak havoc on your auditory senses, resulting in a dampening of sounds, ringing in your ears and sometimes even permanent hearing loss.

Currently, a non-profit organization based in Georgia, called We’re hEAR for YOU, is attempting to educate the public on this growing danger. And, by providing free noise-canceling earbuds to venues and bands, they’re hoping to stem the tide of this crippling, yet easily avoidable, problem.

What Causes Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

The science behind noise-induced hearing loss is relatively simple. Within the structure of your ears are cells that receive auditory information and then transmit that information to your brain. Generally speaking, the louder the sound, the more stimulated these cells become. Noise-induced hearing loss occurs when these cells are over-stimulated.

Exposing yourself to extremely loud environments, such as concerts, can cause this type of over-stimulation. On the low end, excessive noise can merely exhaust the ear cells, causing diminished hearing ability. Continued over-stimulation, however, can result in cell death and permanent hearing loss.

How We’re hEAR for You is Helping

We’re hEAR for You is attempting to combat this problem in a number of ways. First of all, the non-profit provides free earbuds to music venues, bars and festivals in various communities around Georgia and across the country. Also, the company works directly with musicians, supplying them with earbuds and encouraging them to discuss the dangers of noise-induced hearing loss with their fans.

So far, one of the biggest hurdles that We’re hEAR for You has had to face is the perception that noise-canceling earbuds hinder the concert experience. After all, if you’re paying for a live music performance, you want to hear all of it, right? Wrong. The truth is that the earbuds the non-profit provides only filter out sound levels and frequencies that are damaging to your ears, and they won’t inhibit your ability to enjoy the show at all. In fact, you may even enjoy the show more knowing that your ears are being protected.

Often, concert venues will have protective earbuds for sale. The earbuds provided by the non-profit, however, are always free of charge. And because it give away the product for free, the company survives off of donations made through the website and at various fundraisers.

The company’s goal isn’t to turn a profit. The goal is to educate the public on this danger and, hopefully, save concertgoers from permanent hearing loss.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about hearing loss and how to treat it, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!