The Student Room Group

Do you wear ear plugs to night clubs?

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Original post by kerb123
I'm just worried about developing tinnitus, so what ear plugs would you recommend, if any at all?


I developed ear damage resulted in tinnitus after heavy exposure to loud music in a nightclub. Wear earplugs. There is nothing 'uncool' or 'grandpa' about wanting to protect your hearing. Although my hearing range is still excellent the continual popping, whining, ringing and silencing of my hearing can be very annoying sometimes. I now avoid nightclubs unless as I have earplugs as I just can't risk damaging my ears further.
I used to wear small disaposable ones, they were perfect. You could hear the music at a reasonable volume and they were also good for talking to people because when someone shouted in your ear it didnt hurt. I am now in london though and the music in clubs is generally at a good volume so I don't bother now.
I have some which are designed to filter the noise so it is quieter. They're great because they come with 3 filters so I just choose what level of noise I'll be exposed to and whack on an appropriate filter.

I don't wear them all the time (mainly because I forget) but I find that there's not much difference between what you hear with or without them (except the volume of it) and the feeling of ear ache and ringing afterwards isn't there if you wear them - I like that! I would definitely recommend getting some, they don't look very obtrusive either, I don't think people have noticed me wearing them and if they have they certainly haven't mentioned it.
Original post by Mad Vlad
Clearly neither of you understand how ear plugs work - they uniformly reduce sound pressure. You still hear everything that is going on - just at a lower volume.


You're missing the point.

If you have sensitive hearing just don't go to nightclubs. Simple as that. It's like someone booking a skiing holiday and then complaining that there's too much snow. There are plenty of quieter venues that can be just as fun.

People will most likely be put off by someone wearing earplugs in a social environment.
Original post by Mad Vlad
I'm an engineer, not a physicist :fyi:


fair enough, but you must still be knowledgeable enough about the world of physics, am i correct?
Reply 65
Original post by Mysteries
You're missing the point.

If you have sensitive hearing just don't go to nightclubs. Simple as that. It's like someone booking a skiing holiday and then complaining that there's too much snow. There are plenty of quieter venues that can be just as fun.

People will most likely be put off by someone wearing earplugs in a social environment.


Why should I not be able to go to a club because I'm conscious of my hearing? If my friends are out at a club, it'd be a bit rude of me to say - we're not going there because the music is too loud and it might damage my hearing. I'm not complaining about the volume; I'm just taking steps to prevent my hearing getting damaged. With ear plugs, you can still enjoy the music, the atmosphere and you can still communicate with people - you just doing ruin your eardrums in the process.
Reply 66
Original post by James A
fair enough, but you must still be knowledgeable enough about the world of physics, am i correct?


Electromagnetic physics mainly, yes. I do have an appreciation for Physics in general.
Reply 67
Original post by diving_queen
No.

Unless you are dj'ing (thus have headphones)/the 'sound' guy or a lighting technician.
You won't need ear plugs.

EDIT: I think I need to make a point...I work in a bar/club. This music is LOUD. But I don't get tinnitus...or ear pain at all.
Bar staff can't wear them or they would'nt hear a damn thing. Worse than per normal.

So if bar staff can suffer 6+ hours serving drinks. Then people dancing can. And shouldn't stand right next to the amps. Thats just stupid.

Haha this post seems to be controversial! Interesting how no one has quoted me to explain why they disagree...
As a young member of the human species. I know NOONE. Not a SINGLE young human who wears ear-plugs clubbing. Its certainly not the norm.




I used to work in a club, I wore earplugs. My ears used to ring for a day or two after the club night, so earplugs reduced the ringing.

Also, wearing earplugs, I found it a lot easier to hear customers - the plugs drown out the background noise, so people speaking close to you is easier.
Reply 68
Original post by Riderz
They dont, actually. Its very common to get earplugs which are designed to remove certain frequencies and let you hear others. Usually taking away high or low frequencies and leaving the mids - so you can hear people talking in industrial environments while cancelling out the machine sounds in the background.


I was referring to musician's ear plugs. Industrial ear plugs would give you a pretty lousy sound quality when listening to music.
Reply 69
I do not understand why they should play the music so loudly. Surely if they do then it prevents people from hearing what their friends are saying to them?
Reply 70
why in gods name would you wear earplugs?! its hard enough already to hear people in these places without them ...
You only get long term tinitus if you expose your ears to that level of noise constantly, even then I've worked full time in a night club and never had any problems, neither has anyone I worked with. The chances of getting it just going on a night out occasionally are slim.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Riderz
<snip>

Anyway dont you go to gigs, clubs and DJ sets to hear the MUSIC? Hence why I refuse to wear earplugs, having just paid money to listen to it.


come back when you actually understand how hearing protection actually works...
Original post by cl_steele
why in gods name would you wear earplugs?! its hard enough already to hear people in these places without them ...


another person who doesn't understand how hearing protection works ...
Reply 74
Original post by Riderz
They dont, actually. Its very common to get earplugs which are designed to remove certain frequencies and let you hear others. Usually taking away high or low frequencies and leaving the mids - so you can hear people talking in industrial environments while cancelling out the machine sounds in the background.


Original post by zippyRN
come back when you actually understand how hearing protection actually works...


Um.... y'see I do know how hearing protection works. Believe it or not, the law forces me to wear it at times.
Reply 75
Original post by zippyRN
another person who doesn't understand how hearing protection works ...


simple minded person ...
Original post by nnnomi
I used to work in a club, I wore earplugs. My ears used to ring for a day or two after the club night, so earplugs reduced the ringing.

Also, wearing earplugs, I found it a lot easier to hear customers - the plugs drown out the background noise, so people speaking close to you is easier.


Fair do's. Maybe I should try wearing them then! Can't hear a damn thing people say anyway...
I used to wear them everywhere, but ever since Zane Lowe played at Fresher's Week (and has made my right ear slightly ring since...) no clubs seem particularly loud anymore, so I don't bother. Then again, our nightclubs aren't exactly Ministry of Sound :tongue:

Oh and also, earplugs actually make it much easier to hear voices in clubs.
(edited 12 years ago)
I know a lot of barstaff who wear ear plugs :smile: they rely a lot on lip reading haha
Reply 79
Original post by Psilocybe_frog
Lol, Wearing earplugs in a night club is roughly equivalent to wearing a blindfold in a cinema. If you're that concerned about your hearing don't go. If you are willing to neck your own bodyweight in alcohol then you should be able to handle the relatively small risk of developing a minor hearing problem. :rolleyes:


Ear plugs don't completely dwarf the sound out- and in a lot of cases they can make the music sound better. Besides, you don't have to wear them all night. Some songs are particularly harsher than others, and sometimes the levels are a bit off etc.

It's all very well being patronising about it, but if you have sensitive ears, it makes sense to use them. A lot of people in this thread don't seem to be able to grasp the concept that we all don't have the same level of hearing and some of us are prone to our ears getting damaged easier.

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