Are we in denial about loud music and hearing loss?

The message was one that most rock fans didn't want to hear.
They were willing to listen, however, because it came from one of their idols -- Pete Townshend.
The legendary guitarist of the Who validated the concerns of parents around the globe -- the ones who had cried out, "turn down that music or you'll hurt your ears!" -- when in 1989 he disclosed his own hearing loss, which he attributed to long exposure to loud rock 'n' roll.
Suddenly, the topic was on the table. And people started talking about it, with some embracing Townshend's advice to take the necessary steps to protect their ears at concerts.
More than 20 years later, awareness of the issue is much higher. But the problem certainly hasn't gone away. In fact, with the advent of MP3 players and their ubiquitous earbuds, it has grown significantly. It's one thing to know that loud music can damage your hearing, it's quite another to do something about it. And only a small percentage of concertgoers actually wear earplugs, despite that they are available for free (or a small donation) at most venues in the Bay Area.
"I feel rather passionately about this," says Dr. Vikram Talwar, an East Bay-based physician who has volunteered for the past 10 years at Rock Med, the Bay Area-based organization that provides free medical care at concerts. "I'm wearing ear protection all the time. It doesn't matter how good the band is -- I'm wearing ear protection."
Talwar is on eof many crusaders for this cause, handing out earplugs at shows and talking to fans about the dangers of not wearing ear protection. But his efforts routinely are rebuffed."I drum (the importance of ear protection) into everyone I know, even my close personal friends," he says. "Nobody gives a (expletive) about it. They don't think it is going to happen to them."
And, more and more frequently, it is.
Studies show hearing loss is an increasingly significant issue these days. On both ends of the age spectrum. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association says hearing loss among U.S. adolescents has jumped by about 30 percent in the past 20 years. The findings were based on surveys conducted on youths ages 12-19 during 1988-1994 and again in 2005-2006. Now, says the AMA, 1 in 5 adolescents shows some signs of hearing loss.
As for seniors, AARP reports that nearly two-thirds of Americans age 70 and older have experienced mild to severe hearing loss.
And while loud music from mp3 players and earbuds and/or concert halls isn't the only factor, it is a key factor for some...

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Jim Harrington @'Mercury News'