Protect Your Hearing From The Hazards of Summer

Summer has finally arrived, and you’re ready for all those things we’ve been getting excited about: trips to the beach, relaxing by the pool, and injured hearing? That’s right, summer holds many hidden hazards to your ears, either from loud sounds or the external scenarios you could find yourself in. Any sounds over 80 decibels can lead to damage to your hearing, while swimming in pools or other bodies of water can lead to lasting loss of hearing. You have to take preventative measures and be conscious of your environment in order to keep your hearing safe this summer. Keep on reading to learn the summer’s 6 hidden dangers to your hearing.

When You’re at Concerts, Use Hearing Protection

The summer season is concert season, but even if you’re in a venue, you still should protect your hearing. Live music can reach over 90 decibels, even at outdoor concerts, which is inside of the danger zone of hearing loss. So regardless of whether you’re attending an inside or outside concerts, it’s a good idea to use earplugs. You can still hear the music with earplugs it’s just dampened slightly. If you’re going to a show with young children, think about getting them a heavy duty set of earmuffs because children have more delicate ears than adults.

Fireworks Are More Than Just Loud

Honestly, there are a lot of reasons to avoid fireworks in the summer. This is not about the skilled 4th of July displays, we mean the backyard fireworks that bring about many of accidents during the summer season. Backyard fireworks reach volume levels of over 155 which can damage your ears along with causing hand injuries, loss of vision and home fires. This 4th of July, leave the fireworks to the pros and enjoy the show from a protected and sound distance.

Loss of Hearing Can be Caused by Lawnmowers

If you’re serious about your yard, chances are you’re out there each week on your mower, using your edger, and trimming your bushes. But the muffled sensation in your ears is a signal that your ears have taken damage. That’s because the lawn tools, which are constantly loud, have a slow and steady impact on your hearing. If you’ve ever noticed landscapers, you probably have seen them utilizing hearing protection, next time you work on your yard with noisy power equipment, you should take a cue from them and use earmuffs or earplugs.

Here’s How to Safeguard Your Ears When You go Swimming

Millions of people suffer from swimmer’s ear every summer, which occurs when bacteria-loaded water becomes stuck in your ear canal. The bacteria will then infect the ear, producing painful earaches and swelling. It’s not exclusively lakes and rivers that contain these bacteria, they can also be found in hot tubs and pools if they aren’t cleaned and treated properly. But if you have your ears treated by a hearing specialist you should be ok, and no permanent hearing loss will happen. To be safe, when swimming in your pool, wear specialized swimmers earplugs and keep the chemical balance correct to decrease the possibility of getting swimmers ear.

Boats and Other Water Sports

Summer is a taste of freedom for those who love to be in a boat on the water, smelling the fresh lake breeze or the salty air of the ocean. But, jet ski and boat engines are often loud,we’re talking over 100 decibels. Continual subjection to that much noise for a period of around 15 minutes can bring about permanent hearing impairment. In this case also, putting on a set of disposable foam earplugs is a smart idea.

Car Races Can Harm Your Ears

It doesn’t make a difference what kind of auto racing you enjoy, motorcycle, midget, Formula 1, drag racing or stock cars. If you attend many auto-races this summer, they all present a risk. 120 dB is well within the danger zone for hearing loss and lots of races go well above this. As mentioned before, your kids should use muffs whereas you should wear earplugs at the very least. If not, you may not get to enjoy the sound of those engines as you get older.