Finally, it’s summertime!!
That means it’s time to go out and enjoy all the fun activities that the season has to offer. But before you hit the beach, the concert, or the backyard barbecue, remember to take care of your hearing.
Loud noises can damage your hearing, even if you don’t feel like they’re that loud. So it’s essential to take steps to safeguard your ears, particularly during the summer months when you’re more likely to be exposed to loud noises.
Here are a few activities that are best experienced with earplugs.
Swimming
Parasites and bacteria love water and can even live in relatively clean pools potentially resulting in swimmer’s ear. You can prevent infections by keeping your ears dry and earplugs can help you do this.
Polluted water getting into your ears, while usually not a serious issue, can have some unwanted consequences. It can lead to swelling, pain, and even temporary hearing loss.
Left unaddressed, infections can cause damage to the eardrum and the fragile inner workings of the ear.
It’s impossible to completely stay away from all pathogens in pools or hot tubs, but using swimming earplugs will help safeguard your ears.
Live performances and concerts
Attending a concert is always fun, especially in the summer months. But live concerts are typically very loud.
You may be exposed to more than 120dB of sound depending on where you’re standing. That’s enough to lead to instant and lasting hearing loss.
Earplugs are fashioned to reduce sound, not distort it. Earplugs have an NRR rating with a range of 20 to 33, which identifies the strength of the protection. 20dB of sound will be stopped by earplugs with a 20 NRR rating. So if you’re attending a concert with 120dB of sound, it will be reduced to 100dB.
However, that’s still a potentially damaging level.
The closer to the speaker you are, the higher NRR you’ll need to safeguard your ears and prevent permanent hearing damage. Within 15 minutes, you can experience irreversible hearing damage even if you use the highest level of protection. 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 boosted through speakers.
property maintenance
You do it each week, but the grass continues to grow. You routinely edge the flowerbeds and weed the steps to keep your yard from looking like a mess. Then you use a weed-whacker to clean up around the trees.
Power tools and other yard equipment can be really loud, and sustained exposure can and will damage your hearing. The noise from this equipment can be decreased and your ears can be safeguarded by wearing earplugs.
If you’re mowing the lawn without earplugs, you’re slowly damaging your ears and it will become more noticeable over time.
Independence Day
It wouldn’t be Independence Day without them. When July arrives, it’s time to celebrate the independence of our nation. But there’s a dark side to fireworks. They can generate up to 175dB of noise. That’s as loud as a gun being discharged right beside your head!
If you’re attending a display in which the fireworks are booming and recurring, you’ll definitely need earplugs. If you’re near to the action, the highest NRR rating is advisable. You’ll protect your hearing from damage and the fireworks will still be loud enough.
It’s important to protect your hearing
Seek help before your hearing loss becomes severe. Hearing loss related to loud noise can’t be reversed and since it happens so gradually, most people don’t realize they’re damaging their hearing. Get your hearing checked regularly by us to determine your risk level.