When the ball is in the red zone and the crowd noise is deafening, that’s when the excitement begins. It’s also when the people on the sidelines of athletic events are most at risk for sound-induced hearing loss—a permanent condition that is often accompanied by tinnitus or ringing in the ears.
“Coaches, team physicians, athletic trainers and others are directly impacted game after game because they are closer to the cheering fans and loudspeakers,” says Catherine Palmer, chair, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of ealth and Rehabilitation Sciences, and director of audiology for the UPMC Integrated Health System.
“They are also exposed to these loud sounds over the course of their entire careers,” she continues.