Summer has finally arrived!
This summer season has tons of fun. But don’t forget about your hearing’s health before you head out for a day on the beach, a rocking concert, or perhaps a great backyard barbecue.
When you’re out appreciating summer, remember that your hearing can be harmed by loud noises. In the summer you’re much more likely to be exposed to loud sounds, so it’s really important to take the appropriate steps to protect your hearing.
One of the most significant steps is using earplugs, particularly under certain conditions.
Swimming
Parasites and bacteria love water and can even live in fairly clean pools potentially resulting in swimmer’s ear. You can stop infections by keeping water out of your ears and earplugs can help you do this.
While pool-borne infection is rarely serious, polluted water getting inside of your ear canal can have unhealthy effects. It can cause inflammation, pain, and even temporary hearing loss.
Left untreated, infections can cause damage to the eardrum and the delicate inner workings of the ear.
It’s not possible to totally stay away from all pathogens in hot tubs or pools, but wearing swimming earplugs will help safeguard your ears.
Concerts and live performances
Going to a concert is always a good time, especially in the summer months. But live concerts are usually very loud.
Depending on the spot that you’re standing at the venue, you could be exposed to as much as 120dB of sound. That’s enough to cause instant and permanent hearing loss.
Earplugs will block some of that sound but won’t distort it. The amount of sound that can be stopped by earplugs will be determined by an NRR rating of between 20 and 33. An NRR of 20 will lower the sound by 20 dB. So a 120-dB concert will be reduced to around 100 dB.
However, that’s still a potentially harmful level.
The closer you are to a speaker, the higher NRR you’ll need to safeguard your ears and prevent permanent hearing damage. Even if you get the highest level of hearing protection, you will still be exposed to sounds loud enough to cause irreversible hearing damage within 15 minutes. For the highest level of protection, stand a distance from the speakers and use earplugs.
The same goes for indoor concerts, sporting events, plays, movies, barbecues, celebrations, or other events where sounds are being boosted through speakers.
Yard work
You do it each week, but the grass keeps growing. You take measures like edging flower beds and weeding the gardens so your yard looks great. Then you keep the long grass under control with a weed-whacker.
Your hearing will certainly be compromised by the loud volume of yard equipment. Earplugs will help decrease the noise from these tools and safeguard your hearing.
If you aren’t using earplugs when you run the mower, over time, you will be noticeably doing hearing loss.
Independence Day
It wouldn’t be Independence Day without them. When July arrives, it’s time to celebrate the birth of our country. But there’s a negative side to fireworks. They can produce up to 175dB of noise. That’s the volume of a gun being discharged right beside your head!
If you’re attending a show in which the fireworks are thunderous and recurring, you’ll absolutely need earplugs. You should acquire the highest NRR rated earplugs, particularly if you’re close. You’ll protect your hearing from damage and the fireworks will still sound loud enough.
Safeguarding your hearing is important
Don’t wait until your hearing loss is profound to get help. Hearing loss related to loud noise can’t be reversed and since it occurs so gradually, most people don’t recognize they’re harming their hearing. Call us right away so we can help you determine any risks you might have.