Forte Fortissimo for amateur musicians: no effect on otoacoustic emissions.

Many amateur musicians are likely to be exposed to high sound levels during rehearsals. Measuring otoacoustic emissions (OAE) is an objective technique to assess hearing ability and can be used as an early predictor of hearing loss. This study aimed to record sound levels at an amateur brass band rehearsal and to examine the cochlear function of the musicians by evaluating distortion product (DP) OAE amplitudes before and after sound exposure. Twenty-four brass band musicians and 10 office workers were examined with personal noise measurements and DPOAE tests before and after a music rehearsal or one office workday, respectively. The sound levels in the brass band ranged from 92 to 100 dBA, LaEQ 96 dBA. However, the amateur brass band members had no change in DPOAEs after this exposure compared to pre-exposure levels and compared to office workers.