Glasgow DJ warns of tinnitus risks
John Steventon of Kirkintilloch, Glasgow developed a passion for music as a youngster and was playing drums by the age of ten. Seeing live bands and listening to his personal stereo became a way of life and after leaving college he found work as a DJ. With typical youthful optimism, he never imagined how such frequent exposure to loud noise would affect him in the future.
The occasional ringing he heard after a concert or drumming session always wore off and any serious consequences seemed remote. But by his early twenties he noticed the sounds were more persistent and over the years they grew steadily worse.
Now, aged 32, John describes his tinnitus at its worst as a high-pitched howling sound not unlike standing in a wind tunnel and admits that he wishes he’d done some things differently. “If I could go back in time, I would have turned the volume down a bit and thought more seriously about protecting my hearing but when you’re 12 you think you’re indestructible and don’t consider what might happen,” he said. “Wearing earplugs at a nightclub isn’t what you do when you’re young and you worry about being laughed at or looking stupid but I’m super careful now.”
Although it doesn’t impact on every aspect of his life, John says tinnitus definitely affects its quality and can be extremely annoying. He finds it more difficult to drop off to sleep and the noises seem especially loud if he wakes up in the early hours of the morning when everything is silent. He sometimes struggles to concentrate on conversations in busy places and says the tinnitus is more acute if he starts to focus on it. While it doesn’t seem to affect his work as an editor for a television company, he is concerned about the future. “Work is fine now but it’s a job where I have to hear everything so I do worry about it getting worse and I’m not looking forward to dealing with it if it happens. I really don’t know if things will deteriorate or what my hearing will be like in ten or 20 years time.
John, who also teaches DJing, is keen for others not to suffer the same symptoms and now points out the risk factors whenever possible. He published the book DJing for Dummies in December 2006 as a guide for enthusiasts but also highlights the dangers of excessive noise and urges readers to protect their hearing. “I could only devote a couple of pages to the issue but hopefully the message might get through to some people,” he said.
Music is still a big part of his life but he now wears earplugs regularly in noisy environments. “You can buy ones designed for musicians and DJs but just a normal foam pair will make a difference,” he explained. “I still DJ, go to concerts and listen to my IPod and sometimes think I should give it up but I take much more care now and will keep doing what I can to warn other people about the risks if they don’t look after their ears,” he added.
If you would like to help us increase awareness of tinnitus, why not become a Regional Ambassador for Deafness Research UK? By getting our message across to other people, our objective is to raise further funds to conduct the research that will bring relief for millions of people like you. Click here for further information, or call the Deafness Research UK Information Service on 0808 808 2222.
