We’ve been getting excited about summer fun all year: swimming in the pool, visiting the beach, and other activities that might damage your hearing. You could find yourself in external scenarios or subjected to other loud noises this summer that are hidden dangers to your hearing. Any sounds above 80 decibels can damage your ears, while permanent hearing loss can happen in swimming pools or other bodies of water. You need to take preventative measures and be aware of your environment in order to protect your hearing this summer season. Keep on reading to discover the summer’s six hidden dangers to your ears.
At Concerts, Wear Ear Protection
Summer is concert season, but even if you go to a venue, you still should protect your hearing. Concerts can have volumes that are over 90 decibels, even at outside concerts, which is inside the danger zone of hearing loss. So regardless of whether you’re going to outside or inside concerts, it’s a practical plan to use earplugs. Earplugs reduce the sound while still letting you to hear and enjoy the music. If you’re bringing young kids to a performance, consider buying them a heavy duty pair of earmuffs since their hearing is much more delicate than those of adults.
Fireworks Are More Than Just Loud
Honestly, there are a lot of reasons to avoid fireworks in the summer. We’re not talking about the specialized 4th of July displays, we mean the backyard fireworks that lead to hundreds of incidents throughout the summer. As well as causing hand traumas, loss of sight, and home fires, personal fireworks can also cause serious damage to your ears since they are known to get to volume levels of 155 dB. This 4th of July, leave the fireworks to the pros and enjoy the show from a protected and sound distance.
Hearing Loss Can be Caused by Lawnmowers
If you’re really serious about your yard, most likely you’re out there at least once a week on your mower, using your edger, and trimming your bushes. But the muffled sensation in your ears is a signal that your hearing has taken damage. That’s because the constant noise from your lawn tools have a slow and steady impact on your hearing. If you’ve ever seen landscapers, it is likely you have seen them wearing ear protection, you should take a cue from them and use earmuffs or earplugs next time you work on your yard to make sure your hearing stay healthy.
Here’s How to Protect Your Hearing When You go Swimming
Millions of people suffer from swimmer’s ear each summer, which occurs when bacteria-laden water gets stuck inside your ear canal. The bacteria then infects the ear, causing swelling and painful earaches. These bacteria are usually found in lakes and rivers but sometimes also be found in pools and hot tubs if the water isn’t thoroughly treated. As long as you have your ears treated by a hearing expert you will probably be fine, and no lasting loss of hearing will happen. To be safe, when swimming in your pool, wear specialized swimmers earplugs and keep the chemical balance precise to lessen the chance of getting swimmers ear.
Boats and Other Water Sports
If you enjoy the water, summer is beach and boating time for you. But, jet ski and boat engines are often loud,they can get up to over 100 decibels. Lasting hearing damage can be the result after about 15 minutes of exposure to that much noise. In this situation also, wearing a pair of disposable foam earplugs is a smart plan.
Your Hearing Can be Damaged by Car Races
It doesn’t make a difference what type of auto racing you like, stock cars, midgets, motorcycles, drag racing, Formula 1. All of them can cause a huge challenge for your hearing if you go to race after race this summer. It’s calculated that sound levels can go beyond 120 decibels at certain races, which is certainly in the danger zone for hearing impairment. Earplugs are your best friends at these races, while your kids should probably wear the earmuffs we mentioned earlier. Otherwise, you might not get to enjoy the sound of those engines in the future.
