Summertime only lasts a few months, so it’s important to cram all you can into this fun warm-weather time. Since the kids are off school and you may be taking more time off work, you will likely head out to enjoy the summer with fireworks, music festivals and more. While these are all certainly enjoyable events that you love to attend every year, there are some hidden dangers that you should be aware of. Because these events are extremely noisy, they can actually lead to hearing loss if you’re not protected. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to minimize your chances of incurring hearing loss, so let’s take a look at those tips as well as some common summer sounds that could pose a danger when it comes to hearing damage.
Fireworks
Awe-inspiring fireworks probably come to mind when you first think of summer. That’s because they’re fun to watch and they bring lots of people together during local and national celebrations. But did you know each explosion rates 150 decibels? With the recommendation that people wear ear plugs at anything over 85 decibels, this is certainly a noisy event that can incur hearing damage if you don’t take the right precautions. Never sit close to the fireworks staging area, especially with small children. Instead go towards the back and enjoy the sights from there to reduce your ricks of significant hearing loss.
Concerts
Do you love hearing your favorite musicians play the latest tunes on stage? With the warm summer air comes the increased frequency of outdoor music concerts and festivals. However, those large speakers can emit up to 115 decibels of noise to be able to be heard by fans in the back of the arena or park. A common cause of hearing loss in young adults, these concerts carry a hidden danger: permanent damage to hearing. Sit well away from the speakers to enjoy the music.
Sports Events
Who doesn’t love a good baseball game? The dull roar of the fans is enough to cause hearing loss in young people, to be sure, but an even bigger risk to hearing damage comes with the sport of racing. It may be fun and exhilarating to watch the race cars zip around the track, but each rev of these cars can produce 115 decibels of sound – enough to cause not just total temporary hearing loss but long-term hearing injuries as well.
Machine Noises
You probably don’t think too much about the droning of lawn mowers and other lawn care machines that you hear throughout the neighborhood on a sunny summer morning. But the truth is, the 100 decibels created by such machines can reach 100 decibels or more, posing a threat to your hearing. Prolonged exposure for an hour or more at a time can induce long-term damage to your hearing.
What Can You do to Protect Your Hearing?
You can still attend the above fun summer events, just use moderation. Two main steps to protecting your hearing involve avoiding prolonged exposure and wearing ear plugs. Instead of staying for the whole concert or race, go for half, and instead of powering through and mowing the grass for hours on end, take frequent breaks. Before heading to a noisy event such as fireworks and music festivals, pick up some ear plugs. Your hearing will thank you!