Summer has some activities that are just staples: Outdoor concerts, fireworks shows, state fairs, air shows, and NASCAR races (look, if you enjoy watching cars drive around in circles, no one’s going to judge you). The crowds, and the noise levels, are growing as more of these events are going back to normal.
But sometimes this can lead to problems. Let’s face it: you’ve had ringing in your ears after attending a concert before. That ringing is often called tinnitus, and it could be an indication of something bad: hearing damage. And as you keep exposing your ears to these loud noises, you continue to do further permanent damage to your hearing.
But it’s ok. With the correct hearing protection, you’ll be able to enjoy those summer activities (even NASCAR) without doing permanent damage to your ears.
How to know your hearing is hurting
So how much attention should you be putting on your ears when you’re at that air show or concert?
Because you’ll be rather distracted, naturally.
You should watch out for the following symptoms if you want to avoid serious injury:
- Headache: If you have a headache, something is probably wrong. And when you’re attempting to gauge hearing damage this is even more pertinent. A pounding headache can be triggered by excessively loud volume. And that’s a good indication that you should find a quieter environment.
- Tinnitus: This is a buzzing or ringing in your ears. It’s an indication that damage is taking place. Tinnitus is pretty common, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect it.
- Dizziness: Your sense of balance is generally controlled by your inner ear. Dizziness is another signal that damage has taken place, especially if it’s accompanied by a change in volume. So if you’re at one of these loud events and you feel dizzy you may have damaged your ears.
This list is not complete, obviously. Loud noise leads to hearing loss because the extra loud volume levels damage the tiny hairs in your ear responsible for sensing vibrations in the air. And once these tiny hairs are damaged, they never heal or grow back. That’s how delicate and specialized they are.
And the phrase “ow, my tiny ear hairs hurt” isn’t something you ever hear people say. That’s why you need to watch for secondary symptoms.
You also could be developing hearing loss with no detectable symptoms. Any exposure to loud noise will result in damage. The longer you’re exposed, the more significant the damage will become.
What should you do when you experience symptoms?
You’re rocking out just amazingly (everyone sees and is immediately entertained by how hard you rock, you’re the life of the party) when your ears start to ring, and you feel a bit dizzy. How loud is too loud and what should you do? Are you hanging too close to the speakers? How should you know how loud 100 decibels is?
Here are a few options that have different degrees of effectiveness:
- Use anything to cover your ears: The goal is to safeguard your ears when things are too loud. Try to use something near you to cover your ears if you don’t have earplugs and the high volume abruptly takes you by surprise. Although it won’t be as effective as approved hearing protection, something is better than nothing.
- You can get out of the venue: If you actually want to safeguard your ears, this is honestly your best option. But it’s also the least fun option. It would be understandable if you’d rather stay and enjoy the show utilizing a different way to protect your hearing. But you should still consider getting out if your symptoms become extreme.
- Check the merch booth: Disposable earplugs are obtainable at some venues. So if you don’t have anything else, it’s worth trying the merch booth or vendor area. Your hearing health is important so the few dollars you pay will be well worth it.
- Keep a pair of cheap earplugs with you: Cheap earplugs are, well, cheap. For what they are, they’re relatively effective and are better than no protection. So there’s no excuse not to keep a pair with you. Now, if the volume begins to get a little too loud, you simply pull them out and pop them in.
- Try distancing yourself from the source of the noise: If you notice any ear pain, back away from the speakers. Essentially, move further away from the source of the noise. Maybe that means giving up your front row NASCAR seats, but you can still have fun at the show and give your ears a needed respite.
Are there any other methods that are more effective?
So when you need to safeguard your ears for a short time at a concert, disposable earplugs will do. But if you work in your garage every day fixing your old Chevelle with power tools, or if you have season tickets to your favorite football team or NASCAR, or you go to concerts a lot, it’s not the same.
In these cases, you will want to take a few more serious steps to protect your hearing. Here are a few steps in that direction:
- Talk to us today: We can perform a hearing exam so that you’ll know where your hearing levels currently are. And when you have a recorded baseline, it will be easier to detect and record damage. Plus, we’ll have a lot of personalized tips for you, all tailored to keep your ears safe.
- Get an app that monitors decibel levels: Ambient noise is normally monitored by your smartphone automatically, but you can also download an app for that. These apps will then notify you when the noise becomes dangerously high. Monitor your own portable decibel meter to ensure you’re protecting your ears. This way, you’ll be able to easily see what decibel level is loud enough to damage your ears.
- Professional or prescription level hearing protection is recommended This may include personalized earplugs or over-the-ear headphones. The level of protection increases with a better fit. When you need them, you will have them with you and you can just put them in.
Have your cake and hear it, too
It may be a mixed metaphor but you get the point: you can have fun at all those great summer activities while still protecting your hearing. You just have to take steps to enjoy these activities safely. And that’s relevant with anything, even your headphones. Identifying how loud is too loud for headphones can help you make better decisions about your hearing health.
Because if you really enjoy going to see a NASCAR race or an airshow or an outdoor summer concert, chances are, you’re going to want to keep doing that in the future. Being sensible now means you’ll be able to hear your favorite band years from now.
References
https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html
https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/decibel-levels