From sporting events to family get-togethers to fireworks displays to motorcycle rides, summer is filled with enjoyable activities. And while most of these activities are healthy, many can present invisible risks to your hearing health. Over time, the loud noises that accompany some of these experiences can lead to permanent hearing damage. A loud motorcycle engine or a roaring crowd could be contributing to long-term, noise-induced hearing loss.
Over time, extremely loud noises can cause damage to your ears. As a result, you experience hearing loss. This kind of hearing loss is irreversible.
There is no cure, though this form of hearing loss can be successfully controlled. Increasing your awareness of these prevalent loud noises can help you better control risks and establish prevention strategies, so you can safeguard your hearing over the long run. With a few simple adjustments, you can enjoy your summer fun and protect your hearing health.
Is summer actually that noisy?
It can be quite easy to overlook noise hazards during the summer months. Some of the most common dangerously loud noises include the following:
- Sporting events: Crowd noise can harm your hearing, particularly at events like auto racing or monster truck rallies.
- Driving: Going for a Sunday drive is incredibly popular, but the wind rushing into your windows (or all around you if you happen to be driving a convertible) can be tough on your ears. And the risk becomes exponentially worse the longer you are exposed.
- Routine use of power tools: Summer is a perfect time for home improvement projects. But power tools, in general, tend to be really loud. Your hearing health is in increasing danger the more you utilize these tools.
- Fireworks events: Many places have fireworks displays every month or more during the summer. They happen at holiday celebrations, sporting events, and impromptu neighborhood gatherings. Regrettably, fireworks are incredibly loud and can definitely cause damage to your hearing.
- Loud concerts: Even outdoor concerts present considerable hazards to your hearing health. These events are, after all, intended to be really loud.
- Routine lawn care: This category includes chainsaws, weed wackers, leaf blowers, and lawnmowers. These tools have extremely loud powerful motors. It’s worth pointing out that purely electric motors are often quieter.
The volume level that’s regarded as where damage begins to occur is around 85 dB. This is about the range of a lawnmower, hair dryer, or a typical blender. These sounds might not seem particularly loud so this is significant to note. But that doesn’t mean that such volumes won’t result in damage.
Preventing noise-induced hearing damage
Noise-related hearing loss effects millions of individuals each year. Noise-related hearing loss can happen at any age, unlike age-related hearing loss. Prevention is important for this precise reason. Some of the most effective prevention strategies include the following:
- Turn down the volume at home: Simply lowering the volume on your TV and music playing devices can help give your ears some rest and a chance to recuperate. When everything is loud all the time, damage can develop much faster.
- Get your hearing checked: In some cases, hearing loss sneaks up on you quite slowly. It could take years to detect in many circumstances. Often, the only way to determine whether you have any noise-induced hearing loss is to get your hearing examined. We will help you comprehend how to keep your hearing healthy for years to come and talk about treatment solutions for any hearing loss you might already have.
- Give your ears a break (and time to recover): If you attended a loud fireworks display, make sure your next day is a quiet one. This can give your ears more time to recover and avoid further and more substantial damage.
- Wear hearing protection: Keep a pair of ear plugs or ear muffs handy in case you can’t or are not willing to avoid specific loud situations. When you are in environments that are too loud, use this protection to your advantage. This can help prevent damage. You can be especially benefited by making use of hearing protection costume made for you.
- Use disposable earplugs when you have to: Disposable earplugs aren’t as effective as more customized types, but they’re a lot better than nothing! An inexpensive set of disposable earplugs can help prevent significant damage if you find yourself in a loud setting all of a sudden.
- Limit your time in noisy environments: If your environment is really noisy, you should limit your exposure time. This can help avoid long-term damage to your hearing. Every thirty minutes or so, when you’re at a loud sporting event, for example, go and spend some time in a quieter area.
- Download a sound level detection app to your phone: 85 dB may not seem like a lot, but you would most likely be surprised how fast sounds can increase above that minimum threshold. Even your earbuds and headphones can start to do damage at these volume levels. You can become more conscious of when volume levels start to get too high by downloading a volume monitoring app for your cellphone.
Noise-related hearing loss is not inevitable. Prevention strategies can help preserve your hearing. You can protect your hearing and enjoy fun activities in any season with the right strategy.
Begin your journey towards better hearing by contacting us for an appointment.