Finally, it’s summer!!
That means it’s time to get out and partake in all of the fun experiences that the season has to provide. But keep the health of your hearing in mind before you head out for a day on the beach, a rocking concert, or maybe a great backyard get-together.
Loud noises can damage your hearing, even if you don’t think they’re that loud. During the summer you’re much more likely to be exposed to loud sounds, so it’s very important to take the appropriate steps to safeguard your hearing.
Here are a few activities that are best experienced with earplugs.
Swimming
Even in clean pools, there can be parasites and bacteria that can result in swimmer’s ear. Earplugs will help keep your ears dry and prevent infection.
While pool-borne infection isn’t usually serious, contaminated water getting inside of your ear canal can have unhealthy effects. It can lead to swelling, pain, and even temporary hearing loss.
The eardrum and also the fragile inner workings of the ear can be damaged by untreated infections.
It’s not possible to completely stay away from all pathogens in hot tubs or pools, but wearing swimming earplugs will help protect your ears.
Concerts and live performances
Summertime is the perfect time for an evening of live music. Because the entertainers are trying to reach such a large audience, however, volume levels are often off the charts.
Depending on where you’re standing at the venue, you may be exposed to as much as 120dB of sound. That’s enough to cause instant and lasting hearing loss.
Earplugs are designed to decrease sound, not distort it. The amount of sound that can be blocked by earplugs will be established by an NRR rating of between 20 and 33. An NRR of 20 will reduce 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.
Safeguarding your hearing will mean utilizing 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 subjected to sounds loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage within 15 minutes. For the best protection, stand far away from the speakers and wear earplugs.
This doesn’t just pertain to concerts, it’s also relevant for things like festivals, movies, plays, sporting events, and any other event where sound will be amplified through speakers.
Yard work
You do it every week, but the grass keeps growing. You regularly edge the flowerbeds and weed the steps to keep your yard from looking like a mess. Then you use a weed-whacker to touch up around the trees.
Power tools and other yard tools can be really loud, and sustained exposure can and will harm your hearing. Earplugs will help decrease the noise from these tools and safeguard your hearing.
If you’re mowing without earplugs, you’re slowly damaging your hearing and it will become more apparent over time.
Independence Day
They’re an essential aspect of Independence Day. On the 4th of July, we will all be celebrating our country’s independence. But fireworks have a dark side. The noise they create can be in excess of 175 dB. If you fired a gun right next to your head it would be about this volume.
You’ll absolutely want earplugs if you’re attending a large fireworks show. You should acquire the highest NRR rated earplugs, particularly if you’re close. You’ll protect your ears from damage and the fireworks will still sound loud enough.
It’s important to protect your hearing
Seek help before your hearing loss becomes profound. Most people probably won’t even realize that their hearing is slowly going until it’s too late, and unfortunately, there’s no cure. Contact us right away so we can help you identify any risks you may have.