How to Rock Out While Protecting Your Hearing With Hearing Protection Devices
It’s a Saturday night, and you’re ready for a fantastic outdoor summer concert. You’ve got everything you need: lawn chairs, a cooler full of drinks, a blanket, and a group of friends. You’ve packed all the essentials, except one thing.
Hearing protection.
We get it. You’re thinking, “The concert won’t be too loud! It’s outdoors,” or “There’s nothing wrong with my hearing, so I’m not worried about going to a loud and fun concert.”
Sounds above 85 decibels are considered harmful to your hearing. A concert? That can rank around 120 decibels, obviously loud enough to affect your hearing in a negative way.
Let’s dive in and explore exactly what hearing protection does, when you should use it, and why.
1. What is hearing protection?
Simply put, hearing protection is just as it sounds: protection for your hearing. It is used in noisy environments, muffling loud noises so they don’t enter the ear canal at such high decibels.
There are two kinds of hearing protection available: earplugs and earmuffs. Earplugs are placed in the ear and are most effective when they seal the ear canal, blocking anything from entering. Without a proper seal, there is no guarantee loud noises will be effectively blocked out.
Earmuffs fit over the entire ear and form a seal to keep loud noises out. Much like an earplug, without a proper seal, no guarantees can be made on an earmuffs effectiveness. These properly fit over the ears with an adjustable band between the muffs.
Earplugs and earmuffs are available at most drugstores or hardware stores and come in a variety of styles and sizes. Earplugs can also be specially made to fit your particular ear.
2. When should I use hearing protection?
Follow this general rule of thumb: if it seems too loud, it probably is.
If your instincts (or your own ears) are telling you that something is too loud, trust yourself.
If your hearing is already damaged and you can’t quite tell if something is too loud, go with hearing protection. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Tweet This
Keep a pair of earplugs in your car so you’re never without protection if you need it. And when you go out to your favorite summer concert, you’ll always be prepared.
3. Is there anything else I can do to protect my hearing?
Yes! Hearing protection is just one step.
If you’re using earbuds when you listen to music, make sure the volume isn’t too loud. If you sounds begin to sound a little muffled, have your doctor check for a buildup of earwax in the ear. If you’re a fan of using cotton swabs to clean out your ears, consider leaving them on the bathroom counter and letting your doctor do it for you. It’s safer and much easier for a doctor to ensure earwax is being cleared away.
If you’re venturing to a local concert, take a break from the loud noise every so often. Tweet This
Don’t overexpose yourself to unsafe noise levels.
Most importantly, if you ever question the quality of your hearing, seek out a hearing evaluation at A&E Audiology & Hearing Aid Center. With our evaluation, we can pinpoint exactly what is causing your hearing loss and the best course of action to treat it.
Hearing protection is a great way to maintain healthy hearing. It keeps out unwanted noise, keeps your ears protected from overexposure to loud noises, and keeps your hearing intact. We want you to continue enjoying incredible experiences like a concert with friends or even the simplicity of nature.
Take care of your hearing, and you won’t miss a thing.
