The typical summer day is usually filled with fun experiences and happenings, from motorcycle rides to family outings to fireworks to sporting events. Most of these activities are perfectly safe and healthy, but some do come with a risk of noise-related hearing loss. That’s because loud noises, over time, can harm your ability to hear. A loud motorcycle engine or a roaring crowd could be causing long-term, noise-related hearing loss.
What is noise-induced hearing loss? This condition happens when excessively loud noises, over time, cause damage to your hearing. The result of this exposure is loss of hearing. Noise-related hearing loss is effectively permanent.
There is no cure, but this type of hearing loss can be effectively controlled. Over the long run, you can safeguard your hearing and avoid damage by being aware of prevalent sources of loud noise and developing prevention strategies. With a few basic adjustments, you can enjoy your summer fun and protect your hearing health.
Is summer really that noisy?
It can be quite easy to miss noise hazards during the summer months. Here are a few of the most common and also most hazardous:
- Loud concerts: Even outside concerts present considerable risks to your hearing health. After all, these events are designed to be as loud as possible.
- Sporting events: Any time you’re in noisy crowds, you may increase your risk of noise damage (this can be even more relevant at sporting events that feature motorized attractions, such as a Nascar race or monster truck rally).
- Routine use of power tools: Home improvement projects are ideal activities during the summer. But it’s important to remember that all of those power tools can be rather noisy. Your hearing health is in increasing risk the more you use these tools.
- Fireworks events: Summer is full of fireworks. From neighborhood get-togethers to holiday celebrations to sporting events, fireworks shows are everywhere during the summer months. But fireworks shows are definitely loud enough to trigger permanent hearing damage.
- Driving: If you’re driving with the windows down, the wind noise can reach hazardous volumes in your ears and this is even more relevant if you drive a convertible. And the risk becomes dramatically worse the longer you are exposed.
- 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 rather than gas are usually much quieter, though.
In general, sounds louder than 85dB are considered to be harmful. This is around the volume of a lawnmower, hair dryer, or a typical blender. That’s important to note because these sounds may not seem particularly noisy. But that doesn’t mean that such volumes won’t cause damage.
Preventing noise-related 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. Prevention is important for this exact reason. Some of the most successful prevention strategies include the following:
- Wear hearing protection: If you can’t avoid loud environments (or don’t want to miss out on particular fun activities), you can invest in a set of quality ear muffs or ear plugs. Use this hearing protection whenever you need to, when you are in environments that are loud. This can help you avoid damage. You can be especially benefited by using hearing protection costume made for you.
- Use disposable earplugs when you have to: Utilizing disposable earplugs might not be as effective as customized earplugs but, in a pinch, they’re better than no protection at all. If you find yourself suddenly in a loud environment, a cheap set of disposable earplugs can help prevent substantial hearing damage.
- Download a sound level detection app to your phone: You might be surprised at just how rapidly sounds can escalate above that 85dB danger zone volume. Even your earbuds and headphones can start to do damage at these volume levels. You can become more aware of when volume levels begin to get too high by downloading a volume monitoring app for your cellphone.
- Get your hearing checked: In some cases, hearing loss creeps up on you very gradually. It could take years to detect in many circumstances. Frequently, the only way to determine whether you have any noise-induced hearing loss is to get your hearing checked. We’ll be able to go over how to prevent additional damage, which treatment solutions might be appropriate, and how to keep your hearing as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
- Turn down the volume at home: Simply lowering the volume on your TV and music playing devices can help give your ears some quiet and a chance to recuperate. Damage will develop faster if you’re always listening to your devices at a high volume.
- Give your ears a break (and time to recover): If you went to a loud fireworks show, make sure your next day is a quiet one. Additional and more significant damage can be avoided by giving your ears a chance to rest and recover.
- Limit your time in noisy environments: The more noisy the environment, the more you should limit your time. This can help protect against long-term damage to your hearing. Every thirty minutes or so, when you’re at a loud sporting event, for example, go and spend some time in a quieter area.
Noise-related hearing loss is not unavoidable. Prevention strategies can help preserve your hearing. With the right strategy, you can enjoy all that summer, or any other season, has to offer and safeguard your hearing.
Consulting with us can help begin your journey towards healthier ears and better hearing. Call today for an appointment!
