Summer has finally arrived!
This summer season offers tons of fun. But before you go to the beach, the concert, or the backyard barbecue, don’t forget to protect your hearing.
When you’re out appreciating summer, do keep in mind 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.
One of the most significant steps is using earplugs, especially under certain conditions.
Swimming
Even in clean pools, there can be parasites and bacteria that can cause swimmer’s ear. Earplugs will help keep water out of your ears and stop infection.
While pool-borne sickness isn’t usually serious, contaminated water getting inside of your ear canal can have harmful effects. It can result in swelling, pain, and even temporary hearing loss.
Left unaddressed, infections can cause damage to the eardrum and the fragile inner workings of the ear.
If you are going into a hot tub or pool it will be impossible to avoid all germs and pathogens, but your ears can get a level of protection by wearing a pair of swimmers earplugs.
Live performances and concerts
Summertime is the ideal time for a night of live music. Because the performers are trying to reach such a large audience, however, noise levels are often off the charts.
You may be exposed to more than 120dB of volume depending on where you’re standing. That’s enough to trigger immediate and lasting hearing loss.
Earplugs will stop 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.
Safeguarding your hearing will mean using 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 trigger irreversible hearing damage within 15 minutes. For the best protection, stand a distance from the speakers and wear earplugs.
The same applies to indoor concerts, sporting events, plays, movies, barbecues, festivals, or other events where sounds are being amplified through speakers.
property maintenance
You do it each week, but the grass continues to grow. You take measures such as edging flower beds and weeding the gardens so your yard looks great. Then you keep the long grass under control with a weed-whacker.
Your hearing will certainly be damaged by the volume level of yard equipment. Earplugs will help reduce the noise from these tools and protect your hearing.
If you’re mowing without earplugs, you’re slowly damaging your ears and it will become more noticeable over time.
Independence Day
They’re an essential part of Independence Day. When July comes around, it’s time to celebrate the independence of our country. But there’s a negative side to fireworks. The noise they create can be in excess of 175 dB. That’s as loud as a gun being discharged right next to your head!
If you’re attending a display in which the fireworks are booming and recurring, you’ll absolutely need earplugs. You should get the highest NRR rated earplugs, especially if you’re close. You’ll still hear the fireworks and they will still be loud, but you’ll be protecting your ears from future hearing loss.
It’s important to safeguard your hearing
Seek help before your hearing loss becomes extreme. Hearing loss caused by loud noise can’t be corrected and since it occurs so slowly, most people don’t recognize they’re damaging their hearing. Get your hearing checked regularly by us to identify your risk level.