Finally, it’s summertime!!
That means it’s time to go out and partake in all of the exciting experiences that the season has to provide. But don’t forget about your hearing’s health before you go out for a day on the beach, a rocking concert, or maybe an enjoyable backyard get-together.
Loud noises can damage your hearing, even if you don’t think they’re very loud. During the summer you’re a lot 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 enjoyed with earplugs.
Swimming
Bacteria and parasites love water and can even live in fairly clean pools potentially leading to swimmer’s ear. You can prevent infections by keeping water out of your ears and earplugs can help you do this.
While pool-borne illness isn’t usually serious, polluted water getting into your ear canal can have unhealthy effects. It can result in inflammation, pain, and even short-term hearing loss.
Left unaddressed, infections can cause damage to the eardrum and the delicate inner workings of the ear.
It’s not possible to completely stay away from all pathogens in hot tubs or pools, but using swimming earplugs will help protect your ears.
Live performances and concerts
Attending a concert is always fun, particularly in the summer months. But live concerts are usually really loud.
You might be exposed to over 120dB of sound depending on where you’re standing. These volume levels can instantly cause hearing loss that can be permanent.
Earplugs are fashioned to reduce sound, not distort it. Earplugs have an NRR rating with a range of 20 to 33, which establishes the strength of the protection. 20dB of sound will be blocked by earplugs with a 20 NRR rating. So if you’re at a concert with 120dB of sound, it will be lowered to 100dB.
But that degree of sound can still potentially harm your hearing.
Safeguarding 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 trigger irreversible hearing damage within 15 minutes. Use earplugs and stand at a distance from the speakers for best protection.
The same goes for indoor concerts, sporting events, plays, movies, barbecues, celebrations, or other events where sounds are being amplified through speakers.
property maintenance
The grass will keep growing so mowing will be necessary pretty much weekly. You take steps like edging flower beds and weeding the gardens so your yard looks nice. Then you keep the long grass in check with a weed-whacker.
Your hearing will definitely be damaged by the loud volume of yard equipment. The noise from this equipment can be decreased and your ears can be safeguarded by using earplugs.
If you’re mowing without earplugs, you’re slowly damaging your ears and it will become more noticeable over time.
Independence Day
They’re a key aspect of Independence Day. On the 4th of July, we will all be celebrating our country’s independence. But fireworks have a dark side. The noise they make can be in excess of 175 dB. That’s as loud as a gun being discharged right next to your head!
You’ll definitely want earplugs if you’re attending a large fireworks show. You should get the highest NRR rated earplugs, particularly if you’re close. You’ll still hear the fireworks and they will still be loud, but you’ll be safeguarding your ears from future hearing loss.
Protecting your ears is important
Don’t wait until your hearing loss is significant to seek help. 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 assessed routinely by us to determine your risk level.