Some activities are just staples of summertime: Air shows, concerts, fireworks, state fairs, Nascar races, etc. The crowds, and the noise levels, are growing as more of these activities are going back to normal.

And that can be a problem. Because let’s be honest: this isn’t the first loud concert that’s caused your ears to ring. That ringing is often called tinnitus, and it could be an indication of something bad: hearing damage. And the more damage you do, the more your hearing will deteriorate.

But don’t worry. If you use reliable ear protection, all of this summer fun can be safely enjoyed.

How to know your hearing is hurting

So how much attention should you be putting on your ears when you’re at that concert or air show?
Because, obviously, you’ll be pretty distracted.

Well, if you want to avoid significant damage, you should be looking out for the following symptoms:

• Tinnitus: This is a buzzing or ringing in your ears. It’s a sign that damage is taking place. Tinnitus is fairly common, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect it.
• Dizziness: Your sense of balance is generally controlled by your inner ear. So if you feel dizzy at one of these loud events, particularly if that dizziness coincides with a charge of volume, this is another sign that damage has occurred.
• Headache: Generally speaking, a headache is a good indication that something is wrong. And when you’re attempting to gauge hearing damage this is even more pertinent. Too many decibels can result in a pounding headache. If you find yourself in this situation, seek a quieter setting.

This list isn’t complete, obviously. There are tiny hairs inside of your ears which are responsible for detecting vibrations in the air and overly loud sounds can damage these hairs. And once an injury to these delicate hairs occurs, there’s no way for them to heal. They’re that specialized and that delicate.

And it isn’t like people say, “Ow, the little hairs in my ear hurt”. So watching for secondary signs will be the only way you can know if you’re developing hearing loss.

You also could be developing hearing loss without any detectable symptoms. Any exposure to loud noise will lead to damage. And the damage will worsen the longer the exposure continues.

What should you do when you detect symptoms?

You’re rocking out just amazingly (everyone notices and is instantly entertained by how hard you rock, you’re the life of the party) when your ears start to ring, and you feel a little dizzy. How loud is too loud and what should you do? And are you in the danger zone? How are you supposed to know how loud 100 decibels is?

Well, you have several options, and they vary when it comes to how helpful they’ll be:

• Put some distance between you and the source of noise: If your ears begin to hurt, be sure you’re not standing next to the stage or a huge speaker! Essentially, distance yourself from the origin of the noise. Perhaps that means letting go of your front row seats at NASCAR, but you can still enjoy the show and give your ears a necessary break.
• Find the merch booth: Some venues sell disposable earplugs. So if you don’t have anything else, it’s worth trying the merch booth or vendor area. Typically, you won’t have to pay more than a few dollars, and when it comes to the health of your hearing, that’s a deal!
• You can go somewhere quieter: Honestly, this is likely your best possible option if you’re looking to protect your hearing health. But it may also finish your fun. So if your symptoms are significant, consider getting out of there, but we understand if you’d rather pick a way to safeguard your hearing and enjoy the concert.
• Bring cheap earplugs wherever you go: 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 starts to get a bit too loud, you just pull them out and pop them in.
• Use anything to cover your ears: The goal is to safeguard your ears when things are loudest. Try to use something around you to cover your ears if you don’t have earplugs and the high volume suddenly surprises you. Even though it won’t be as efficient as approved hearing protection, something is better than nothing.

Are there any other strategies that are more effective?

So when you need to safeguard your ears for a short time at a concert, disposable earplugs will be fine. But if you work in your garage daily fixing your old Chevelle with power tools, or if you have season tickets to your favorite football stadium or NASCAR, or you go to concerts a lot, it’s a little different.

In these cases, you will want to take a few more profound steps to protect your hearing. Here are some steps in that direction:

• Wear professional or prescription level hearing protection. This might mean over-the-ear headphones, but more likely, it will mean personalized earplugs. The better the fit, the better the hearing protection. You can always bring these with you and put them in when the need arises.
• Get an app that monitors volume levels: Most modern smartphones will be able to get an app that monitors the ambient noise. These apps will then alert you when the noise becomes dangerously high. In order to safeguard your ears, keep an eye on your volume monitor on your phone. This way, you’ll be capable of easily seeing what decibel level is loud enough to damage your ears.
• Speak with us today: You need to know where your current hearing levels are, so come in and let us help. And when you have a recorded baseline, it will be easier to observe and record damage. Plus, we’ll have all kinds of personalized tips for you, all tailored to keep your ears safe.

Have your cake and hear it, too

It might be a mixed metaphor but you get the point: you can have fun at all those awesome summer activities while still protecting your hearing. You just have to take steps to enjoy these activities safely. And that’s true 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 love going to see a NASCAR race or an airshow or an outdoor summer concert, chances are, you’re going to want to continue doing that in the future. Being smart now means you’ll be able to hear your favorite band years from now.

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References

https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html
https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/decibel-levels