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 perhaps an enjoyable backyard barbecue.
When you’re out enjoying summer, remember that your hearing can be damaged by loud noises. During the summer you’re much more likely to be exposed to loud sounds, so it’s really important to take the right steps to safeguard your hearing.
Here are some activities that are best enjoyed with earplugs.
Going for a swim
Even in clean pools, there can be parasites and bacteria that can trigger swimmer’s ear. Earplugs will help keep your ears dry and stop infection.
While pool-borne sickness isn’t usually serious, contaminated water getting into your ear canal can have harmful effects. Short-term hearing loss, pain, and inflammation can be the result.
The eardrum and also the fragile inner workings of the ear can be damaged by untreated infections.
If you are going into a hot tub or pool it will be impossible to steer clear of all germs and pathogens, but your ears can get some protection by wearing a pair of swimmers earplugs.
Live performances and concerts
Summer is the ideal time for an evening of live music. But live concerts are usually very loud.
You could be exposed to more than 120dB of volume depending on the spot that you’re standing. That’s enough to cause immediate and lasting hearing loss.
Earplugs are designed to reduce sound, not distort it. The degree 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 at a concert with 120dB of sound, it will be reduced to 100dB.
However, that’s still a potentially harmful level.
Safeguarding your hearing will mean using a higher NRR the closer to the speakers you will be standing. Within 15 minutes, you can experience irreversible hearing damage even if you use the highest level of protection. For the highest level of protection, stand far away from the speakers and wear earplugs.
This doesn’t just apply 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.
property maintenance
You do it each week, but the grass continues to grow. You routinely edge the flowerbeds and weed the steps to keep your yard from looking like a mess. Then you use a weed-whacker to clean up around the trees.
Your hearing will certainly be compromised by the loud volume of yard equipment. The noise from this equipment can be reduced and your ears can be safeguarded by wearing earplugs.
If you’re mowing the lawn without earplugs, you’re slowly damaging your ears and it will become more evident over time.
Independence Day
They’re an essential part of Independence Day. On the 4th of July, we will all be celebrating our country’s independence. But there’s a dark side to fireworks. They can generate up to 175dB of noise. That’s the volume of a gun being fired right next to your head!
If you’re going to a display where the fireworks are booming and recurring, you’ll certainly need earplugs. If you’re close to the action, the highest NRR rating is advisable. You’ll still hear the fireworks and they’ll still be loud, but you’ll be safeguarding your ears from future hearing loss.
Protecting your ears is important
Don’t wait until your hearing loss is extreme to get help. Hearing loss caused by loud noise can’t be reversed and since it takes place so gradually, most people don’t recognize they’re harming their hearing. Contact us right away so we can help you determine any risks you may have.
