Finally, it’s summertime!!
That means it’s time to go out and enjoy all the fun experiences that the season has to provide. But before you go to the beach, the concert, or the backyard cookout, don’t forget to take care of your hearing.
When you’re out enjoying summer, do keep in mind that your hearing can be harmed by loud noises. During the summer you’re much more likely to be exposed to loud sounds, so it’s very important to take the right steps to safeguard your hearing.
One of the most important steps is using earplugs, particularly under certain conditions.
Swimming
Bacteria and parasites love water and can even live in fairly clean pools potentially leading to swimmer’s ear. You can prevent infections by keeping your ears dry and earplugs can help you do this.
Contaminated water getting inside of your ears, while usually not a serious problem, can have some adverse repercussions. It can lead to inflammation, pain, and even temporary hearing loss.
Left untreated, infections can result in damage to the eardrum and the fragile inner workings of the ear.
It’s impossible to completely avoid all pathogens in pools or hot tubs, but wearing swimming earplugs will help safeguard your ears.
Concerts and live performances
Summertime is the ideal time for an evening of live music. But live concerts are usually very loud.
You might be exposed to more than 120dB of volume depending on the spot that you’re standing. These volume levels can instantly trigger hearing loss that can be permanent.
Earplugs are designed to decrease sound, not distort it. The degree of sound that can be blocked by earplugs will be established by an NRR rating of between 20 and 33. 20dB of sound will be stopped by earplugs with a 20 NRR rating. So a 120-dB concert will be lowered to around 100 dB.
However, that’s still a potentially harmful level.
Protecting your hearing will mean using a higher NRR the closer to the speakers you will be standing. Even if you acquire the highest level of hearing protection, you will still be exposed to sounds loud enough to trigger permanent hearing damage within 15 minutes. For the best protection, stand far away from the speakers and use earplugs.
The same goes for indoor concerts, sporting events, plays, movies, cook-outs, celebrations, or other events where sounds are being amplified through speakers.
Yard work
The grass is going to continue o grow so mowing will be necessary pretty much weekly. You routinely edge the flowerbeds and weed the steps to keep your yard from looking like a mess. Then you utilize a weed-whacker to clean up around the trees.
Power tools and other yard equipment can be very loud, and prolonged exposure can and will harm your hearing. Earplugs will help reduce the noise from these tools and protect your hearing.
If you aren’t wearing earplugs when you use the mower, over time, you will be noticeably doing hearing loss.
Independence Day
They’re a key aspect of Independence Day. On the 4th of July, we will all be celebrating our nation’s independence. But fireworks have a negative side. The noise they create can be in excess of 175 dB. That’s the volume of a pistol being fired right beside your head!
If you’re attending a show in which the fireworks are booming and repeating, you’ll certainly need earplugs. You should get the highest NRR rated earplugs, particularly if you’re close. You’ll still be able to hear the fireworks and they will still be loud, but you’ll be protecting your ears from future hearing loss.
It’s important to protect your hearing
Seek help before your hearing loss becomes profound. Most people most likely won’t even realize that their hearing is gradually going until it’s too late, and regrettably, it’s irreversible. Contact us right away so we can help you identify any risks you might have.