Summer is here!
This summer season has a lot 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 maybe an enjoyable backyard get-together.
When you’re out enjoying summer, don’t forget that your hearing can be damaged by loud noises. So it’s important to take steps to safeguard your ears, especially during the summer months when you’re more likely to be exposed to loud noises.
One of the most significant steps is using earplugs, especially under certain conditions.
Swimming
Parasites and bacteria love water and can even live in relatively clean pools potentially leading to swimmer’s ear. Earplugs will help keep water out of your ears and prevent infection.
Polluted water getting into your ears, while normally not a serious issue, can have some adverse repercussions. Short-term hearing loss, pain, and inflammation can be the outcome.
Left unaddressed, infections can lead to damage to the eardrum and the fragile inner workings of the ear.
It’s impossible to totally stay away from all pathogens in hot tubs or pools, but wearing swimming earplugs will help safeguard your ears.
Live performances and concerts
Summertime is the ideal time for a night of live music. But live concerts are typically really loud.
You may be exposed to more than 120dB of sound depending on the spot that you’re standing. These volume levels can instantly cause hearing loss that can be permanent.
Earplugs will stop some of that sound but won’t distort it. Earplugs have an NRR rating with a range of 20 to 33, which determines the strength of the protection. 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 damaging level.
Protecting your hearing will mean utilizing a higher NRR the closer to the speakers you will be standing. Even if you get the highest level of hearing protection, you will still be subjected to sounds loud enough to trigger irreversible hearing damage within 15 minutes. Use earplugs and stand well away from the speakers for optimum protection.
This doesn’t just pertain to concerts, it’s also true for things like festivals, movies, plays, sporting events, and any other event where sound will be boosted through speakers.
Yard work
You do it each week, but the grass keeps growing. You routinely edge the flowerbeds and weed the steps to keep your yard from looking messy. Then you utilize a weed-whacker to touch up around the trees.
Your hearing will definitely be compromised by the volume level of yard equipment. The noise from this equipment can be reduced and your ears can be safeguarded by using earplugs.
If you’re not using earplugs when you run the mower, over time, you will be observably doing hearing loss.
Independence Day
They’re a key aspect of Independence Day. When July arrives, it’s time to celebrate the birth of our country. But there’s a negative side to fireworks. They can generate up to 175dB of noise. That’s the volume of a gun being discharged right beside your head!
If you’re attending a show where the fireworks are booming and repeating, you’ll certainly need earplugs. You should acquire the highest NRR rated earplugs, especially if you’re close. You’ll still be able to hear the fireworks and they’ll still be loud, but you’ll be safeguarding your ears from future hearing loss.
It’s important to protect your ears
Don’t wait until your hearing loss is profound to seek help. Most people most likely won’t even recognize that their hearing is gradually going until it’s too late, and regrettably, there’s no cure. Have your hearing assessed routinely by us to identify your risk level.