Finally, it’s summertime!!
This summer season offers 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 a great backyard barbecue.
Loud noises can harm your hearing, even if you don’t feel like they’re that loud. So it’s important to take measures to safeguard your ears, especially during the summer months when you’re more likely to be exposed to loud noises.
One of the most important steps is utilizing earplugs, particularly under certain conditions.
Going for a swim
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 sickness isn’t usually serious, contaminated water getting inside of your ear canal can have harmful effects. Temporary hearing loss, pain, and swelling can be the result.
The eardrum and also the fragile inner workings of the ear can be damaged by untreated infections.
It’s impossible to completely stay away from all pathogens in hot tubs or pools, but wearing swimming earplugs will help safeguard your ears.
Live performances and concerts
Going to a concert is always fun, particularly during the summer. Because the performers are trying to reach such a big audience, however, volume levels are often really high.
Depending on the spot that you’re standing at the venue, you could be exposed to as much as 120dB of sound. These volume levels can instantly cause hearing loss that can be permanent.
Earplugs will block some of that sound but won’t distort it. The level of sound that can be stopped by earplugs will be identified by an NRR rating of between 20 and 33. An NRR of 20 will reduce the sound by 20 dB. So if you’re attending a concert with 120dB of sound, it will be lowered to 100dB.
However, that’s still a potentially damaging level.
Safeguarding your hearing will mean using 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 exposed to sounds loud enough to trigger irreversible hearing damage within 15 minutes. Wear earplugs and stand at a distance 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
The grass will keep growing so mowing will be required pretty much weekly. You routinely edge the flowerbeds and weed the steps to keep your yard from looking messy. Then you keep the long grass in check with a weed-whacker.
Power tools and other yard equipment can be really loud, and sustained 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 operate the mower, over time, you will be noticeably causing hearing loss.
Independence Day
It wouldn’t be Independence Day without them. On the 4th of July, we will all be celebrating our country’s independence. But there’s a negative side to fireworks. The noise they create can be in excess of 175 dB. If you fired a gun right near your head it would be about this volume.
If you’re attending a show where the fireworks are thunderous 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 protecting your hearing from future hearing loss.
Safeguarding your ears is important
Get help before your hearing loss becomes extreme. Most individuals probably won’t even recognize that their hearing is slowly going until it’s too late, and unfortunately, there’s no cure. Give us a call right away so we can help you identify any risks you may have.