Summer is here!
This summer season offers a lot of fun. But before you hit the beach, the concert, or the backyard cookout, don’t forget to take care of your hearing.
When you’re out appreciating summer, remember that your hearing can be harmed by loud noises. So it’s essential to take measures to safeguard your ears, especially during the summer months when you’re more likely to experience loud noises.
One of the most significant steps is using earplugs, particularly under certain conditions.
Swimming
Even in clean pools, there can be bacteria and parasites 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 harmful effects. Short-term hearing loss, pain, and inflammation can be the result.
Left unaddressed, infections can result in damage to the eardrum and the fragile inner workings of the ear.
It’s impossible to totally avoid all pathogens in pools or hot tubs, but wearing swimming earplugs will help protect your ears.
Concerts and live performances
Summer is the ideal time for an evening of live music. But live concerts are typically very loud.
You could be exposed to over 120dB of sound depending on where you’re standing. These volume levels can immediately trigger hearing loss that can be permanent.
Earplugs are fashioned to decrease sound, not distort it. The level of sound that can be stopped by earplugs will be identified by an NRR rating of between 20 and 33. 20dB of sound will be stopped by earplugs with a 20 NRR rating. So if you’re at a concert with 120dB of sound, it will be reduced to 100dB.
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. Within 15 minutes, you can develop permanent hearing damage even if you make use of the highest level of protection. Wear earplugs and stand at a distance from the speakers for optimum protection.
The same applies to indoor concerts, sporting events, plays, movies, cook-outs, celebrations, or other events where sounds are being boosted through speakers.
Yard work
The grass is going to keep growing so mowing will be necessary pretty much weekly. You take steps like edging flower beds and weeding the gardens so your yard looks nice. Then you utilize a weed-whacker to touch up around the trees.
Your hearing will certainly be compromised by the loud volume of yard equipment. Earplugs will help decrease 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 observably causing hearing loss.
Independence Day
It wouldn’t be Independence Day without them. When July comes around, it’s time to celebrate the independence of our nation. But fireworks have a negative side. They can produce up to 175dB of noise. If you shot a gun right next to your head it would be around this volume.
If you’re attending a display where the fireworks are thunderous and repeating, you’ll certainly need earplugs. If you’re close to the action, the highest NRR rating is advisable. You’ll safeguard your hearing from damage and the fireworks will still sound loud enough.
It’s important to safeguard your hearing
Don’t wait until your hearing loss is extreme to seek help. Hearing loss related to loud noise can’t be reversed and since it takes place so slowly, most people don’t recognize they’re damaging their hearing. Give us a call right away so we can help you identify any risks you might have.