Well-known for bringing people together, summer is a fun time of year punctuated by warm weather, beaches, music, outdoor sports and fireworks. With the kids out of school and you with more time off to do things, you might be traveling more and heading out to fun events. Whether you are going to a sporting event, concert or watching fireworks on the Fourth of July, there are many loud noises that can lead to hearing loss when you’re exposed to them for prolonged periods of time. Although the following events are enjoyable activities, you need to take precautions to guard against the onset of hearing loss. We will take a look at the most common summer sounds and how you can avoid exposing yourself to hearing damage.
Concerts
Feeling the exhilarating of hearing your favorite band play is unmatched. In the summer, you’ll often find many music festivals are featured that capitalize on the nice weather and availability of fans. However, be aware that those speakers that must be heard throughout a huge stadium can be a fairly cause of hearing loss in young adults in particular. The average decibel level at a rock concert is an incredible 115 — enough to cause permanent damage to hearing. To put that in perspective, it is recommended that people use ear plugs when the decibel level hits more than 85 decibels.
Fireworks
One of the most spectacular summer events that you and the family likely partake in is a fireworks display. Many local and national celebrations often end the night with a fireworks display that enhances awe and adoration. They also, however, incur a great deal of noise rated at 150 decibels. Instead of getting too close to the fireworks staging area – which has been known to cause significant hearing loss – watch the show from a safe distance.
Sports Events
Various sporting events during summer have the ability to bring about hearing loss in many people. The constant rumble of a baseball crowd, for instance, can cause hearing damage in younger adults and children. Truth be told, however, the real danger this summer comes from the sport of racing. While this is an exhilarating chance for you to gather with others and watch death-defying stunts, this sport generates roars of sound reaching up to 115 decibels. This is enough to result in total temporary hearing loss as well as long-term hearing injuries.
Machine Noises
A common summer sound that you may not realize is dangerous is that produced by lawn mowers and other lawn maintenance machines. Many summer mornings are punctuated with the sounds of these tools blaring in your neighborhood. Keep in mind, though, that prolonged exposure to the 100 or more decibels created by these machines can induce long-term damage to your hearing. This risk is compounded because lawn mowers typically run for an hour or more at a time.
How to Protect Your Hearing
There are two different ways to protect your hearing this summer when exposed to damaging levels of noise. The first is to limit the amount of time you spend with exposure to loud noises. So, for example, don’t stay for the entire music festival, or mow the lawn in short bursts instead of all at once. These actions will help you decrease your chances of incurring hearing loss. The second is to utilize ear plugs when you attend events in noisy areas. They’re fairly easy to find, whether you buy them at major concert venues or at your local pharmacy.
