So are the teenagers themselves.

While teens and young adults turn up the volume, they are unaware that the exposure to loud music could result in hearing loss, according to a Web-based survey designed by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

The 28-question survey, posted by MTV.com, elicited almost 10,000 responses. Only 8 percent of the respondents ranked hearing loss as a big problem, even though 61 percent had experienced hearing impairment after attending concerts.

The response was disturbing, especially in light of a recent national study that estimates 12.5 percent of children aged 6 to 19 are suffering from hearing loss induced by loud noise.

“The good news is that many young people indicated that they would consider wearing hearing protection,” Roland Eavey, a professor at Harvard Medical School, said.

Rock ‘n’ roll has given us some of the greatest artists of the 20th century. But what good is their music if you cannot hear it? Teenagers should turn down the volume.

By San Antonio Express-News