The Risks of Amplified Music for Disc-Jockeys Working in Nightclubs

In Brief Objectives: Here, we evaluate the risks of amplified music for disc-jockeys (DJs) working in nightclubs. Design: Sound level measurements were performed within the DJ mixing booths. A questionnaire was used to obtain exposure to noise and length of time in the profession. Audiograms and tinnitus pitch matching was also performed. Results: The DJs' audiograms showed the expected noise-induced hearing loss at 6 KHz, but also low frequency losses at 125–500 Hz. Three quarters of them have tinnitus with a frequency corresponding to hearing loss. Conclusions: This study highlights the risk of amplified music on hearing and tinnitus. The acoustic measurements in the Disc-Jockeys booths show average equivalent sound levels of 98.7 dB (A) Leq, with high sound levels in the bass frequencies (114.3 dB (Z) at 125 Hz). The Disc-Jockeys studied here are mainly young men who work in nightclubs for 6 years during 3 nights a week. Three quarters of them have tinnitus with a pitch corresponding to the frequency of hearing loss. In addition to the expected dip at 6 kHz, there is also a loss in the low frequencies audiogram, a phenomenon that has not previously been described as a consequence of excessive noise.