From sporting events to family gatherings to fireworks displays to motorcycle rides, summer is filled with fun experiences. And while the majority of these activities are healthy, many can present invisible risks to your hearing health. That’s because loud noises, over time, can damage your ability to hear. A loud motorcycle engine or a roaring crowd could be contributing to long-term, noise-induced hearing loss.
What is noise-related hearing loss? This condition occurs when extremely loud noises, over time, trigger damage to your hearing. As a consequence, you experience hearing loss. Noise-related hearing loss is effectively permanent.
Even though this kind of hearing loss can’t be cured, it can be effectively treated. Raising your awareness of these prevalent loud noises can help you better manage risks and establish prevention strategies, so you can protect your hearing over the long run. You can safeguard the health of your hearing while still enjoying summer fun by using a few basic adjustments.
Is it actually that loud during the summer?
Summer might be one of those times of year where noise risks are easiest to overlook. Here are a few of the most common and also most harmful:
- Driving: Taking a Sunday drive is very popular, but the wind rushing through your windows (or all around you if you’re driving a convertible) can be hard on your ears. And the risk becomes exponentially worse the longer you are exposed.
- Loud concerts: Concerts put your hearing at risk even if they’re outdoor concerts. After all, these events are planned to be as loud as possible.
- Sporting events: Crowd noise can damage your hearing, especially at events such as auto racing or monster truck rallies.
- Routine use of power tools: Home improvement projects are perfect activities during the summer. But power tools, in general, tend to be quite loud. Your hearing health is in increasing danger the more you utilize these tools.
- Routine lawn care: This could include using lawnmowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, and weed wackers. The powerful motors in most of these mechanical tools are very loud. Motors that run on electricity rather than gas are typically much quieter, though.
- Fireworks events: Summer has lots of fireworks. From neighborhood gatherings to holiday festivities to sporting events, fireworks shows are everywhere during the summer months. But fireworks shows are easily loud enough to cause irreversible hearing damage.
In general, sounds above 85dB are considered to be damaging. The average hair dryer, blender, or lawnmower is about this volume. These sounds might not seem especially loud so this is significant to note. But that doesn’t mean that such volumes won’t result in damage.
How can I prevent noise-induced hearing loss?
Noise-induced hearing loss impacts millions of people every year. And, unlike age-related hearing loss, noise-induced hearing loss can present at any age. Prevention is significant for this precise reason. Here are some of the most helpful prevention strategies:
- Give your ears a break (and time to recover): Spend a quieter next day after attending a fireworks display. Additional and more significant damage can be avoided by giving your ears an opportunity to rest and recuperate.
- Get your hearing checked: In some cases, hearing loss creeps up on you very gradually. It could take years to detect in many instances. Having your hearing checked can help you determine whether you have noise-related hearing loss. We’ll be able to talk about how to avoid further damage, which treatment solutions might be appropriate, and how to keep your hearing as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
- 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 considerable damage if you find yourself in a noisy environment all of a sudden.
- Turn down the volume at home: Simply lowering the volume on your TV and music playing devices can help give your ears some rest and a chance to recover. When everything is loud all the time, damage can develop much faster.
- Download a sound level detection app to your phone: 85 dB might not seem like a lot, but you would probably be surprised how fast sounds can increase above that minimum threshold. Even your earbuds and headphones can start to do damage at these volume levels. There are many reliable apps available for smartphones that can help you track ambient noise levels, so you can be more mindful of when your surroundings become dangerous to your hearing.
- Wear hearing protection: If you cannot avoid noisy situations (or don’t want to miss out on particular enjoyable activities), you can invest in a pair of good ear muffs or ear plugs. When you are in locations that are too noisy, use this protection to your advantage. Damage can be avoided in this way. You can be especially benefited by using hearing protection costume made for you.
- Limit your time in noisy environments: If your environment is really noisy, you should limit your exposure time. This can help protect against long-term damage to your hearing. If you’re at a noisy sporting event, for example, walk to a quieter area every thirty minutes or so.
Noise-induced hearing loss is not inevitable. You’re hearing can be maintained by utilizing prevention strategies. You can protect your hearing and enjoy fun activities in any season with the proper strategy.
Start your journey towards better hearing by giving us a call for an appointment.