Finally, it’s summer!!
That means it’s time to go out and enjoy all the exciting experiences that the season has to provide. But before you go to the beach, the concert, or the backyard cookout, remember to protect your hearing.
When you’re out appreciating summer, don’t forget that your hearing can be damaged by loud noises. So it’s important to take measures to safeguard your ears, particularly during the summer months when you’re more likely to experience loud noises.
One of the most important steps is using earplugs, especially under certain conditions.
Going for a swim
Bacteria and parasites love water and can even live in relatively clean pools potentially resulting in swimmer’s ear. You can stop infections by keeping your ears dry and earplugs can help you do this.
While pool-borne illness 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.
If you’re going into a hot tub or pool it won’t be possible to avoid all germs and pathogens, but your ears can get some protection by wearing a set of swimmers earplugs.
Concerts and live performances
Summertime is the best time for a night of live music. Because the performers are attempting to reach such a big audience, however, volume levels are often off the charts.
Depending on where you’re standing at the venue, you could be exposed to as much as 120dB of sound. That’s enough to trigger immediate and permanent hearing loss.
Earplugs are fashioned to reduce sound, not distort it. Earplugs have an NRR rating with a range of 20 to 33, which identifies the strength of the protection. 20dB of sound will be blocked by earplugs with a 20 NRR rating. So a 120-dB concert will be lowered 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. Within 15 minutes, you can experience permanent hearing damage even if you use the highest level of protection. For the best protection, stand a distance from the speakers and use earplugs.
The same applies to indoor concerts, sporting events, plays, movies, cook-outs, festivals, or other events where sounds are being boosted through speakers.
Yard work
The grass is going to keep growing so mowing will be required pretty much weekly. You regularly edge the flowerbeds and weed the steps to keep your yard from looking messy. Then you use a weed-whacker to touch up around the trees.
Power tools and other yard equipment can be really loud, and sustained exposure can and will harm your hearing. 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 doing hearing damage.
Independence Day
They’re an essential aspect of Independence Day. When July arrives, it’s time to celebrate the birth of our nation. But fireworks have a dark side. They can generate up to 175dB of noise. That’s the volume of a pistol being discharged right next to your head!
If you’re attending a show in which the fireworks are booming and recurring, you’ll absolutely need earplugs. You should get the highest NRR rated earplugs, particularly if you’re close. You’ll still be able to hear the fireworks and they will still be loud, but you’ll be protecting your hearing from future hearing loss.
Safeguarding your hearing is important
Don’t wait until your hearing loss is extreme to get help. Most individuals probably won’t even realize 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.