How we can help

How to soothe hearing loss after a concert

If you've ever seen your favorite band play in a packed venue, or with speakers the size of a small home, you may have experienced the feeling of a temporary hearing loss after a concert once or twice.
Published 4/8/2025,
Updated 4/8/2025
RecommendedScience
Woman standing close to her partner, showing her hearing aid.
On this page
The show ends, the music turns down as the lights come on, and everything suddenly sounds like you just stepped off an airplane. It's possible you may even feel a slight ringing in the ears. These are common side effects of a noise-induced hearing loss after a show or concert. As we first start going to these events in our younger years, the effects are often temporary.

However, for those that frequently attend these louder events -as whether it be after a music festival, an outdoor concert, nightclub or any other venue, the symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss can last anywhere from a few hours to multiple days. You may feel muffled hearing or your ears may be ringing.

Here are some treatment options you can implement to help ease the effects of temporary hearing loss after a loud concert.
Rest your ears

Give your ears a rest

Silence is golden when your ears have been getting pelted with sound for multiple hours at a time. Limit the amount of sound you intake for a while, keep away from noisey locations, and avoid using headphones until the effects have subsided. Your ears need a little rest and relaxation to recover, show them some love. 
Main things to avoid

Avoid caffeine and alcohol

Stimulants like caffeine can prolong the time it takes for the ringing or muffled hearing to go away, while alcohol increases the amount of blood flow to the inner ear which can also have a negative effect on recovery. One study of the effects drinking on our hearing concluded that excessive amounts of alcohol can lessen the ability of our hair cells to process low-frequency sounds.
Prevention

The importance of prevention

Over time, consistent loud noise above at dangerous decibel levels (above 85 dB) will lead to a permanent hearing loss. The hair cells in your ears become worn down and damaged permanently- This can also cause the mind to create a persistent feeling of ringing in the ears - a condition known as tinnitus - that can be difficult to cope with. This is why prevention is so essential. 

If you know that you're going to a rock concert or other loud event -or if you work with a job with dangerous noise levels- be sure to bring a pair of earplugs. There are a number of high-fidelity earplugs available that are able to filter sound so you can still hear the music well without suffering the same damaging effects. 

If the problem persists you may need professional medical help. Give us a call on 0800 522 422 to book an appointment at a bloom™ hearing specialist clinic near you.

Related articles

business woman and man wearing hearing aids shaking hands
Updated 8 May · 10 min read

6 common mistakes new hearing aid users make

Hearing aids take some time to get used to, make sure you don't make the same mistake twice!
RecommendedScience
People running on a cliff with hearing aids
Updated 8 May

Bushfire support

For many communities the last couple of months have been a period of unfathomable trauma and loss due to the fires. With such a geographically diverse network of clinics, we know we have had customers and employees within fire zones since September last year.
RecommendedScience
Mother with hearing loss wearing hearing aids talks with her children.
Updated 8 May · 5 min read

What is sound?

Everyone has heard the term ‘sound waves’. This is actually how we hear. Sound is caused by vibrating air (particles). These vibrations move through the air as sound waves.
ScienceRecommended

Talk to an audiologist in one of our stores.

Book an appointment

Need further support? Call us.

0800 522 422

Find a store near you