It’s hard to believe, but it’s almost the Fourth of July. For many of us, that means celebrating with family barbeques or heading to Rancho Santa Fe’s Annual 4th of July Parade & Picnic and, of course, fireworks.
While no doubt beautiful and exciting to watch, fireworks can pose a threat to your hearing health. Let’s go over a few tips on how to protect your hearing while still having fun this Fourth of July.
How Fireworks and Other Loud Noises Put Your Hearing at Risk
Any sound over 85 decibels (dB) has the potential to cause noise-induced hearing loss after enough exposure. The louder the sound, the less time it takes for damage to occur. Firework shows can reach volumes exceeding 100 dB, which means they easily reach levels that can permanently damage the hair cells of your inner ear and lead to hearing loss.
Exposure to loud noises is one of the leading causes of hearing loss, and it can affect both children and adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “An estimated 12.5% of children and adolescents aged 6–19 years (approximately 5.2 million) and 17% of adults aged 20–69 years (approximately 26 million) have suffered permanent damage to their hearing from excessive exposure to noise.”
How to Prevent Noise-Induced Hearing Loss This Fourth of July
You don’t have to miss out on the fun and festivities of the holiday in order to protect your hearing health; you just need to take the right precautions.
Keep Your Distance
The great thing about fireworks is that you don’t have to be up close to enjoy them. It’s best to stay at least 500 feet away from the source of the sound. You can measure the decibel volume with a smartphone app to make sure you’re far enough away to avoid sounds above 85 dB.
If you don’t have an app, pay attention to how you’re feeling. If your ears start to hurt, you experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears), or you find yourself needing to shout to communicate with family and friends, move back further.
Use Hearing Protection Devices
Hearing protection devices like earplugs or earmuffs are an effective and budget-friendly way to prevent exposure to damaging sounds. They help bring down the decibel level into a safe range while still allowing you and your family to sit back and enjoy the show.
To learn more about how to protect your hearing or to schedule an appointment with one of our experts, call Rancho Santa Fe Audiology today.
