Doctor's waiting room full of young people with tinnitus: headphones one of the reasons

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, can be maddening. And now it's become clear that a growing number of young people in the Netherlands are experiencing hearing loss. Every year, 14,000 people visit their GP for tinnitus.

Festival season is in full swing, and the speakers are booming this weekend at Lowlands, for example. Hopefully, noise-canceling earplugs have made it into the bags of those who travel to the Low Countries.

Research by Independer reveals that doctors' waiting rooms are full due to tinnitus. The comparison site based its figures on data from the Netherlands Institute for Healthcare Research (Nivel) and Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

Tinnitus is a form of hearing damage, often caused by loud noise or (too loud) music. For example, you might experience ringing in your ears after a loud festival or concert. If the ringing doesn't go away, it's considered chronic tinnitus. Tinnitus or a loud ringing in your ears can significantly impact your daily life. You may experience sleep problems, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.

Below you can hear an excerpt of how tinnitus can sound as a beeping sound (and that 24 hours a day).

The number of young people with a hearing impairment has increased significantly in recent years, according to Statistics Netherlands' health survey. In 2023 and early 2024, 1.1 percent of young people between the ages of 20 and 30 experienced a hearing impairment. In 2014 and 2015, 0.4 percent experienced tinnitus. At that time, there were approximately 8,400 young people in this group with a hearing impairment; in 2023/2024, this number had risen to approximately 25,700.

"More and more young people are experiencing hearing damage. Loud music at festivals, concerts, and clubs plays a major role. But the increasing use of headphones with excessive volume also contributes to the problem," says healthcare expert Bas Knopperts of Independer.

According to the healthcare research institute Nivel, approximately 70,000 young people between the ages of 15 and 29 consulted their GP with tinnitus (ringing in the ears) over the past five years. That's 14,000 per year. This makes it a common form of hearing loss. "It's important to take immediate action. Consulting an ENT specialist or audiologist is covered by basic health insurance. After conducting a hearing test, they can advise you on the best course of action," says Bas Knopperts. "Try to prevent permanent hearing loss, so act quickly."

According to the healthcare expert, it's especially important to be careful at concerts and festivals, and when using your headphones. "The sound at a festival can reach 103 decibels. According to VeiligheidNL , this can damage your hearing in less than 5 minutes. Are you standing at the front of the stage? Then the decibel level can even reach 113, which is even more damaging. That's a good reason to bring good earplugs to prevent tinnitus/ringing in the ears. Good to know: some health insurers offer reimbursement for hearing protection in their supplementary packages. Or you can get a discount on earplugs through your health insurer."

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