From sporting events to family get-togethers to fireworks shows to motorcycle rides, summer is filled with fun activities. Most of these activities are perfectly safe and healthy, but there are some that do come with a risk of noise-related hearing loss. That’s because loud noises, over time, can damage your ability to hear. This hearing damage could be caused by anything from the roar of a motorcycle engine to the booms of a fireworks show.
Over time, very loud noises can cause damage to your ears. The result of this exposure is loss of hearing. Noise-related hearing loss is effectively permanent.
Although this type of hearing loss can’t be cured, it can be successfully managed. Increasing your awareness of these prevalent loud noises can help you better control risks and formulate prevention strategies, so you can safeguard your hearing over the long run. You can protect the health of your hearing while still enjoying summer fun by using a few simple adjustments.
Is summer really that noisy?
Summer may be one of those times of year in which noise risks are easiest to overlook. Here are a few of the most prevalent and also most hazardous:
- Loud concerts: Even outdoor concerts present substantial hazards to your hearing health. After all, these events are designed to be as loud as possible.
- Driving: Taking a Sunday drive is very popular, but the wind rushing through your windows (or all around you if you happen to be driving a convertible) can be hard on your ears. This is especially true if the sound happens for long intervals without breaks.
- Routine use of power tools: Summer is an ideal time for home improvement projects. But it’s important to remember that all of those power tools can be quite noisy. The more you use these tools, the more your hearing hazard increases.
- Fireworks events: Summer has lots of fireworks. They occur at holiday celebrations, sporting events, and impromptu neighborhood gatherings. But fireworks shows are easily loud enough to cause irreversible hearing damage.
- Sporting events: Crowd noise can damage your hearing, especially at events like auto racing or monster truck rallies.
- Routine lawn care: This might include using lawnmowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, and weed wackers. These tools have extremely loud powerful motors. Motors that run on electricity rather than gas are typically much quieter, though.
The volume level that’s regarded as where damage begins to occur is about 85 dB. This is about the range of a lawnmower, hair dryer, or a typical blender. These sounds may not seem particularly loud so this is important to note. But that doesn’t mean that such volumes won’t cause damage.
Preventing noise-related hearing damage
Noise-induced hearing loss effects millions of individuals each year. Noise-induced hearing loss can occur at any age, unlike age-related hearing loss. Prevention is significant for this precise reason. Here are a few of the most helpful prevention strategies:
- Limit your time in noisy environments: If your environment is really noisy, you should limit your exposure time. This can help avoid long-term damage to your hearing. If you’re at a loud sporting event, for instance, go to a quieter area every thirty minutes or so.
- Wear hearing protection: If you can’t avoid noisy situations (or don’t want to miss out on certain fun activities), you can get a set of good ear muffs or ear plugs. When you’re in environments that are too loud, use this protection to your advantage. Damage can be avoided in this way. You can be particularly benefited by using hearing protection costume designed for you.
- Turn down the volume at home: Simply turning down the volume on your TV and music playing devices can help give your ears some quiet and a chance to recuperate. When everything is loud all the time, damage can advance more quickly.
- Give your ears a break (and time to recover): Spend a quieter next day after attending a fireworks display. Additional and more substantial damage can be prevented by giving your ears an opportunity to rest and recuperate.
- Use disposable earplugs when you have to: Using disposable earplugs may not be as effective as customized earplugs but, in a pinch, they’re better than no protection at all. If you find yourself abruptly in a loud environment, a cheap set of disposable earplugs can help prevent significant hearing damage.
- Download a sound level detection app to your phone: 85 dB might not seem like a lot, but you would most likely be surprised how fast sounds can increase above that minimum threshold. At these volume levels, even your headphones or earbuds can rapidly begin damaging your ears. You can become more conscious of when volume levels start to get too high by downloading a volume monitoring app for your cellphone.
- Get your hearing checked: Sometimes, hearing loss sneaks up on you quite slowly. Many people won’t detect the symptoms for months or years. Getting your hearing examined can help you determine whether you have noise-induced hearing loss. We will help you comprehend how to keep your hearing healthy for years to come and talk about treatment solutions for any hearing loss you may already have.
You don’t need to resign yourself to having noise-induced hearing loss. Prevention strategies can help maintain your hearing. You can protect your hearing and enjoy fun activities in any season with the right approach.
Begin your journey towards better hearing by contacting us for an appointment.