Finally, it’s summer!!
That means it’s time to go out and enjoy all the exciting experiences that the season has to offer. But before you hit the beach, the concert, or the backyard barbecue, remember to protect your hearing.
Loud noises can harm your hearing, even if you don’t feel like they’re that loud. In the summer you’re much more likely to be exposed to loud sounds, so it’s very important to take the appropriate steps to safeguard your hearing.
Here are some activities that are best experienced with earplugs.
Going for a swim
Even in clean pools, there can be bacteria and parasites that can trigger swimmer’s ear. You can stop infections by keeping water out of your ears and earplugs can help you do this.
While pool-borne illness isn’t usually serious, polluted water getting into your ear canal can have harmful effects. Short-term hearing loss, pain, and inflammation can be the result.
Left unaddressed, infections can cause damage to the eardrum and the delicate inner workings of the ear.
It’s not possible to completely avoid all pathogens in pools or hot tubs, but using swimming earplugs will help safeguard your ears.
Concerts and live performances
Attending a concert is always fun, especially in the summer months. Because the performers are trying to reach such a large audience, however, noise levels are usually really high.
You may be exposed to over 120dB of sound depending on where you’re standing. These volume levels can immediately trigger hearing loss that can be permanent.
Earplugs will stop some of that sound but won’t distort it. Earplugs have an NRR rating with a range of 20 to 33, which identifies the strength of the protection. An NRR of 20 will lower the sound by 20 dB. So a 120-dB concert will be lowered to around 100 dB.
But that amount of sound can still potentially harm your hearing.
Protecting your hearing will mean using a higher NRR the closer to the speakers you will be standing. Within 15 minutes, you can experience permanent hearing damage even if you make use of the highest level of protection. For the best protection, stand a distance from the speakers and use earplugs.
This doesn’t only pertain 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.
Yard work
The grass will continue o grow so mowing will be required pretty much every week. You regularly edge the flowerbeds and weed the steps to keep your yard from looking messy. Then you keep the long grass under control with a weed-whacker.
Power tools and other yard equipment can be really loud, and prolonged exposure can and will harm your hearing. Earplugs will help reduce the noise from these tools and safeguard your hearing.
If you aren’t using earplugs when you operate the mower, over time, you will be observably causing hearing loss.
Independence Day
It wouldn’t be Independence Day without them. On the 4th of July, we will all be celebrating our nation’s independence. But there’s a negative side to fireworks. The noise they produce can exceed 175 dB. That’s as loud as a gun being fired right beside your head!
If you’re going to a show in which the fireworks are thunderous and repeating, you’ll absolutely need earplugs. You should get the highest NRR rated earplugs, especially 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 ears is important
Get help before your hearing loss becomes extreme. Most people probably won’t even recognize that their hearing is gradually going until it’s too late, and regrettably, there’s no cure. Have your hearing assessed regularly by us to identify your risk level.