Local musician Bevan Radburn said years of exposure to loud music on stage had affected his hearing.

"I had my ears tested a number of years ago and the result was that I have suffered some damage to my hearing. It's made me aware of volume and excessive exposure and being aware that you need to minimise the hazard as much as possible, like staying away from the front of speakers and the snare drum," he said.

According to the NSW Department of Health, 17 to 20 per cent of people have tinnitus, which means hearing buzzing, whistling, hissing or pulsing sounds in their ears.

Short-term tinnitus after exposure to loud noise means damage has already been done.

Twenty-one-year-old Orange woman Ashlea Maher said she was usually exposed to loud music at least once a week in a pub or at a rock concert.

She said her ears could ring for up to three days after a concert such as the Big Day Out.

"I wouldn't say there's a noticeable difference to my hearing but I probably do turn things up a lot louder than I used to," she said.

According to Questacon, an excessively loud noise is one where a person has to raise their voice to be heard when standing at arms-length away.

Very loud sounds cause large vibrations inside the ear, which can distort and tear the delicate structures which send messages to the brain.

Properly-fitted earplugs should be worn in noisy situations.

By Ellen Vaz