How Loud is Too Loud? 6 Tips to Protect Your Hearing
Is your love for live music in harmony with your long-term auditory health? Concerts, sporting events, fireworks shows, and music festivals offer unforgettable experiences. But as you prepare to enjoy yourself, don’t forget to consider the impact these events could have on your hearing health.
Signs of auditory damage after loud events may include ear ringing or muffled hearing. These can be temporary but have a cumulative effect over time. If you think your hearing has been impacted, consult with an audiologist for further evaluation.
Here are six practical tips to keep your ears safe during loud events.
- Safeguard Your Hearing Through Awareness
When it comes to hearing loss, prevention is the best approach. Prolonged exposure to music at unsafe levels can lead to noise-induced hearing loss and other auditory issues.
Concerts, games, and festivals often involve loud music and amplified sound systems, which can exceed safe listening levels (sounds at or below 70 decibels). Build a habit of thinking about your hearing health before you head to an event.
- Earplugs Are Your Ultimate Companion
Invest in a pair of high-quality earplugs, especially if you’re a regular concert-goer or live-sports fan.
Earplugs specially designed for music events offer a balanced sound experience while reducing the overall sound level. Look for earplugs with a noise reduction rating (NRR) of 15+ decibels to ensure adequate protection without compromising the musical quality. It should be listed clearly on the package.
Whether you’re using foam earplugs, reusable earplugs, or custom hearing protection fit by a qualified professional, remember this: The best hearing protection is hearing protection that is actually used!
- Position Yourself Strategically
Choosing the right spot at the venue can significantly impact your exposure to loud sounds.
Avoid standing directly in front of the speakers or amplifiers, as this is where the sound intensity is the highest.
Instead, position yourself further back or to the side, where the sound is more evenly distributed. This adjustment will help lower the risk of exposing your ears to damaging loudness levels.
- Limit Listening Time
When attending multi-day festivals like the Rochester International Jazz Festival, Fairport Music Fest, and Party in the Park in Rochester this summer, be mindful of the cumulative exposure to loud music. Prolonged exposure to high sound levels increases the risk of hearing damage.
Consider spreading your concert experiences across multiple days, allowing your ears ample time to rest and recover.
Alternatively, if attending a single-day event, plan your schedule to include breaks and quieter moments between performances. This respite allows your ears to heal and reduces the cumulative impact of loud sounds.
- Familiarize Yourself with Volume Settings
Whether you're heading to an indoor arena or an open-air music festival, familiarize yourself with the volume settings of the event.
Many venues now display sound levels at various stages or offer mobile apps that provide real-time decibel readings. Monitoring these levels can help you make informed decisions about when to use earplugs or take breaks.
Learn more about loudness safety levels at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) website.
- Take Extra Care Around Fireworks
Wearing earplugs around fireworks can be helpful in reducing injury to your ears. However, they can also inhibit your awareness of what's happening around you.
Keep your head on a swivel when wearing earplugs, or you could miss an important “Watch out!”
If people are setting off fireworks within close quarters, ask to be told before a firework is sent off to ensure you’re seeing them from a safe distance.
Music and sports enthusiasts must balance enjoying the energy and excitement of concerts and events while keeping our hearing health in mind. By cultivating awareness, investing in quality earplugs, adopting strategic positioning, taking breaks, and advocating for responsible sound management, we can ensure that our love for music, sports, and more remains.