Many of us enjoy listening to and even making music. Music moves us, inspires us, and just makes us happy. It can become an important part of who we are. Making music is also good training for the brain, especially if you start young and stick with it. Musical training can improve the way the brain processes all sounds, including speech, which can help with hearing and communication, especially in noisy places. It can also improve how other senses, such as touch and vision, work together with hearing to paint a complete picture of the world.

It is important, however, to avoid listening to music so loud that it damages your ears. If you ever experience ringing in your ears (called tinnitus), even for a short time, you are risking some permanent damage to your ability to hear. So if you love listening to your music player, having band practice, or going to dances or concerts, it is important to try to keep the volume of the music down at a safe level. Damage due to loud music (or loud noise in general) can be quite minor at first and difficult for even skilled doctors to detect, but it can build over time and noticeably decrease your ability to hear as you get older.