Summer has finally arrived!
This summer season offers tons of fun. But don’t forget about your hearing’s health before you go out for a day on the beach, a rocking concert, or perhaps an enjoyable backyard barbecue.
Loud noises can harm your hearing, even if you don’t think they’re very loud. During the summer you’re much more likely to be exposed to loud sounds, so it’s very important to take the right steps to protect your hearing.
Here are some activities that are best experienced with earplugs.
Going for a swim
Parasites and bacteria love water and can even live in fairly clean pools potentially resulting in swimmer’s ear. Earplugs will help keep water out of your ears and prevent infection.
While pool-borne infection is rarely serious, contaminated water getting inside of your ear canal can have unhealthy effects. Short-term hearing loss, pain, and inflammation can be the outcome.
Left unaddressed, infections can cause damage to the eardrum and the fragile inner workings of the ear.
If you’re going into a hot tub or pool it won’t be possible to steer clear of all germs and pathogens, but your ears can get a level of protection by wearing a set of swimmers earplugs.
Live performances and concerts
Summer is the ideal time for a night of live music. But live concerts are usually really loud.
You could be exposed to over 120dB of sound depending on where you’re standing. That’s enough to cause instant and lasting hearing loss.
Earplugs will block some of that sound but won’t distort it. The level of sound that can be stopped by earplugs will be determined by an NRR rating of between 20 and 33. 20dB of sound will be blocked by earplugs with a 20 NRR rating. So a 120-dB concert will be reduced to around 100 dB.
However, that’s still a potentially harmful level.
Protecting your hearing will mean utilizing a higher NRR the closer to the speakers you will be standing. Even if you get the highest level of hearing protection, you will still be subjected to sounds loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage within 15 minutes. Wear earplugs and stand well away from the speakers for optimum protection.
The same applies to indoor concerts, sporting events, plays, movies, barbecues, celebrations, or other events where sounds are being amplified through speakers.
property maintenance
The grass is going to keep growing so mowing will be necessary pretty much weekly. You routinely 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.
Your hearing will definitely be damaged by the loud volume of yard equipment. The noise from this equipment can be reduced and your ears can be safeguarded by using earplugs.
If you’re mowing the lawn without earplugs, you’re slowly damaging your hearing and it will become more evident over time.
Independence Day
It wouldn’t be Independence Day without them. When July arrives, it’s time to celebrate the independence of our country. But fireworks have a dark side. They can generate up to 175dB of noise. If you fired a gun right near your head it would be around this volume.
You’ll absolutely want earplugs if you’re going to a large fireworks show. You should get the highest NRR rated earplugs, particularly if you’re close. You’ll protect your hearing from damage and the fireworks will still sound loud enough.
It’s important to safeguard your ears
Get help before your hearing loss becomes extreme. Hearing loss related to loud noise can’t be reversed and since it happens so gradually, most people don’t recognize they’re damaging their hearing. Call us right away so we can help you identify any risks you might have.
