The typical summer day is usually filled with fun activities and happenings, from motorcycle rides to family outings to fireworks to sporting events. And while most of these activities are safe, many can present hidden risks to your hearing health. Over time, the loud noises that accompany some of these activities can lead to irreversible hearing damage. This hearing damage could be the result of anything from a roaring motorcycle engine to the booms of a fireworks display.
Over time, really loud noises can cause damage to your ears. As a consequence, you experience hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss is effectively permanent.
Although this kind of hearing loss has no cure, it can be effectively treated. Raising your awareness of these prevalent loud noises can help you better manage risks and formulate prevention strategies, so you can safeguard your hearing over the long run. With a few simple adjustments, you can enjoy your summer fun and safeguard your hearing health.
Is summer really that noisy?
Summer may be one of those times of year in which noise risks are easiest to overlook. Here are a few of the most common and also most hazardous:
- Loud concerts: Concerts put your hearing at risk even if they’re outdoor concerts. After all, these events are planned to be as loud as possible.
- Sporting events: Crowd noise can damage your hearing, especially at events like auto racing or monster truck rallies.
- Routine use of power tools: Summer is a great time for home improvement projects. But power tools, in general, are often quite loud. The more you use these tools, the more your hearing hazard increases.
- Routine lawn care: This could include using lawnmowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, and weed wackers. The powerful motors in many of these mechanical tools are very loud. Motors that run on electricity instead of gas are usually quite a bit quieter, though.
- Driving: If you’re driving with the windows down, the wind noise can reach damaging volumes in your ears and this is even more relevant if you drive a convertible. And the risk becomes dramatically worse the longer you are exposed.
- Fireworks events: Many areas have fireworks displays every month or more during the summer. They occur at holiday celebrations, sporting events, and impromptu neighborhood gatherings. Regrettably, fireworks are incredibly loud and can certainly cause damage to your ears.
Generally speaking, sounds above 85dB are considered to be harmful. This is around the range of a lawnmower, hair dryer, or a typical blender. That’s important to take note of because these sounds might not seem particularly noisy. But that doesn’t mean that such volumes won’t result in damage.
How can I prevent noise-induced hearing loss?
Noise-induced hearing loss effects millions of people every year. Noise-related hearing loss can happen at any age, unlike age-related hearing loss. Prevention is significant for this precise reason. Here are a few of the most practical prevention strategies:
- Use disposable earplugs when you have to: Making use of disposable earplugs may not be as reliable as customized earplugs but, in a pinch, they’re better than no protection at all. If you find yourself suddenly in a loud environment, a cheap set of disposable earplugs can help prevent significant hearing damage.
- Get your hearing checked: Hearing loss usually doesn’t develop all of a sudden. It could take years to notice in many instances. Getting your hearing checked can help you determine whether you have noise-induced hearing loss. We will help you understand how to keep your hearing healthy for years to come and talk about treatment solutions for any hearing loss you might already have.
- Limit your time in noisy environments: The more noisy the environment, the more you should regulate your time. Your ears can be protected from long-term damage in this way. If you’re at a noisy sporting event, for instance, go to a quieter spot every thirty minutes or so.
- Give your ears a break (and time to recover): If you attended a loud fireworks show, make sure your next day is a quiet one. This can give your ears more time to recuperate and avoid further and more substantial damage.
- Wear hearing protection: If you cannot avoid loud environments (or don’t want to miss out on particular enjoyable activities), you can invest in a set of good ear muffs or ear plugs. When you are in locations that are too noisy, use this protection to your advantage. Damage can be avoided in this way. You can be especially benefited by making use of hearing protection costume made for you.
- Download a sound level detection app to your phone: You may be surprised at just how quickly sounds can escalate above that 85dB danger zone volume. Even your earbuds and headphones can begin to do damage at these volume levels. You can become more conscious of when volume levels begin to get too loud by downloading a volume monitoring app for your cellphone.
- Turn down the volume at home: Simply turning down the volume on your TV and music playing devices can help give your ears some rest and a chance to recover. When everything is loud all the time, damage can develop much faster.
Noise-related hearing loss is not inevitable. You’re hearing can be maintained by using prevention strategies. With the proper approach, you can enjoy all that summer, or any other season, has to offer and safeguard your hearing.
Begin your journey towards better hearing by contacting us for an appointment.