The average summer day is usually filled with fun activities and happenings, from motorcycle rides to family reunions to fireworks to sporting events. Most of these activities are completely safe and healthy, but some do come with a risk of noise-related hearing loss. That’s because loud noises, over time, can damage your ability to hear. This hearing damage could be due to anything from the roar of a motorcycle engine to the booms of a fireworks display.
What is noise-related hearing loss? This condition occurs when overly loud noises, over time, trigger damage to your hearing. As a consequence, you experience hearing loss. Noise-related hearing loss is effectively irreversible.
There is no cure, but this type of hearing loss can be effectively controlled. Over the long run, you can protect your hearing and prevent damage by being aware of prevalent sources of loud noise and developing prevention strategies. You can protect the health of your hearing while still enjoying summer fun by making use of a few simple adjustments.
Is it really that loud during the summer?
Summer might be one of those times of year in which noise risks are easiest to overlook. Here are some of the most prevalent and also most harmful:
- Routine lawn care: This may include using lawnmowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, and weed wackers. These tools have very loud powerful motors. Motors that run on electricity instead of gas are typically quite a bit quieter, though.
- 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 an ideal time for home improvement projects. But it’s important to remember that all of those power tools can be really noisy. Your hearing health is in increasing danger the more you use these tools.
- Loud concerts: Even outside concerts have substantial risks to your hearing health. These events are, after all, intended to be quite loud.
- Fireworks events: Summer has lots of fireworks. They happen at holiday celebrations, sporting events, and impromptu neighborhood gatherings. Regrettably, fireworks are incredibly loud and can certainly cause damage to your ears.
- Driving: If you’re driving with the windows down, the wind noise can reach hazardous volumes in your ears and this is even more significant if you drive a convertible. And the risk becomes exponentially worse the longer you are exposed.
Generally speaking, sounds above 85dB are considered to be damaging. This is around the volume of a lawnmower, hair dryer, or a typical blender. That’s significant to be aware of because these sounds might not seem particularly noisy. 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 people every year. Noise-induced hearing loss can occur at any age, unlike age-related hearing loss. That’s why prevention is so important. Some of the most successful prevention strategies include the following:
- Wear hearing protection: Keep a set of ear plugs or ear muffs handy in case you can’t or are not willing to avoid specific loud situations. Wear this hearing protection when you need to, when you are in environments that are noisy. Damage can be avoided in this way. You can be particularly benefited by using hearing protection costume designed for you.
- Give your ears a break (and time to recover): Spend a quieter next day after going to a fireworks display. This can give your ears more time to recover and prevent further and more significant damage.
- Download a sound level detection app to your phone: 85 dB might not seem like a lot, but you would most likely be surprised how fast sounds can escalate above that minimum threshold. At these volume levels, even your headphones or earbuds can quickly start harming your ears. You can become more conscious of when volume levels start to get too high by downloading a volume monitoring app for your cellphone.
- Limit your time in noisy environments: The louder the environment, the more you should regulate your time. This can help avoid long-term damage to your ears. Every thirty minutes or so, when you’re at a loud sporting event, for instance, go and spend some time in a less noisy spot.
- Get your hearing checked: In some cases, hearing loss sneaks up on you quite gradually. It could take years to detect in many instances. Frequently, the only way to find out whether you have any noise-induced hearing loss is to have your hearing checked. We will help you understand how to keep your hearing healthy for years to come and talk about treatment options for any hearing loss you might already have.
- Turn down the volume at home: Simply reducing the volume on your TV and music playing devices can help give your ears some quiet and a chance to recover. Damage will advance more rapidly if you’re always listening to your devices at a high volume.
- 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. An inexpensive pair of disposable earplugs can help prevent significant damage if you find yourself in a noisy environment all of a sudden.
You don’t need to resign yourself to having noise-induced hearing loss. You’re hearing can be maintained by using prevention strategies. You can safeguard your hearing and enjoy fun activities in any season with the correct approach.
Consulting with us can help begin your journey towards healthier ears and better hearing. Call today for an appointment!
