Summer is here!
This summer season offers a lot of fun. But before you hit the beach, the concert, or the backyard cookout, remember to protect your hearing.
When you’re out appreciating summer, don’t forget that your hearing can be damaged by loud noises. In the summer you’re a lot more likely to be exposed to loud sounds, so it’s very important to take the appropriate steps to protect your hearing.
Here are a few activities that are best experienced with earplugs.
Swimming
Even in clean pools, there can be bacteria and parasites that can cause swimmer’s ear. You can prevent infections by keeping water out of your ears and earplugs can help you do this.
Contaminated water getting inside of your ears, while usually not a serious problem, can have some negative consequences. Short-term hearing loss, pain, and inflammation can be the consequence.
Left untreated, infections can lead to damage to the eardrum and the fragile inner workings of the ear.
It’s not possible to completely stay away from all pathogens in hot tubs or pools, but wearing swimming earplugs will help safeguard your ears.
Live performances and concerts
Going to a concert is always a good time, especially in the summer months. Because the entertainers are attempting to reach such a big audience, however, volume levels are usually off the charts.
You could be exposed to more than 120dB of volume depending on where you’re standing. That’s enough to cause immediate and permanent hearing loss.
Earplugs are fashioned to decrease sound, not 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 damage your hearing.
The closer you are to a speaker, the higher NRR you’ll require to safeguard your ears and prevent irreversible hearing damage. Even if you acquire the highest level of hearing protection, you will still be exposed to sounds loud enough to trigger permanent hearing damage within 15 minutes. Use earplugs and stand at a distance from the speakers for optimum protection.
This doesn’t just apply 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.
property maintenance
The grass is going to continue o grow so mowing will be necessary pretty much every week. You regularly edge the flowerbeds and weed the steps to keep your yard from looking like a mess. Then you keep the long grass under control with a weed-whacker.
Power tools and other yard equipment can be very loud, and prolonged exposure can and will damage your hearing. 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 gradually damaging your hearing and it will become more obvious over time.
Independence Day
They’re a key aspect of Independence Day. When July arrives, it’s time to celebrate the birth of our country. But there’s a dark side to fireworks. They can create up to 175dB of noise. If you fired a gun right near your head it would be about this volume.
If you’re attending a display where the fireworks are booming and recurring, you’ll absolutely need earplugs. You should get the highest NRR rated earplugs, particularly if you’re close. You’ll protect your ears from damage and the fireworks will still sound loud enough.
Safeguarding your ears is important
Get help before your hearing loss becomes extreme. Most individuals most likely won’t even recognize that their hearing is slowly going until it’s too late, and unfortunately, it’s irreversible. Get your hearing assessed regularly by us to determine your risk level.