Enjoy the Season but Be Aware of Noise Induced Hearing Loss
With the arrival of spring we are all looking forward to resuming our favorite outdoor activities. While our favorite hobbies and recreational activities may be essential to our mental health many of them may involve noise levels loud enough to damage our critical sense of hearing.
When evaluating the risk to our hearing two things have to be considered regarding these noise levels:
• the volume or intensity which can be measured and expressed in decibels (dB)
• and secondly the duration or length of time we are exposed to this noise
Let's look at how loud some common Spring and Summer activities are while keeping in mind that any level over 85 dB for extended periods of time will cause permanent hearing loss and to prevent damage some form of hearing protection should be used and any readings over 105 dB requires double protection (both earmuffs and ear plugs). Also remember that when looking at decibels this scale is logarithmic not linear in nature and that the noise level doubles with every 3 db increase. So a 88 db sound is twice as loud as an 85 db sound. And a 101 db sound is an astounding 32 time louder than 85 dB.
• Live concert - 105 dB - 115 dB
• riding lawn mower - 95 dB
• motorcycle at highway speed (wind + engine) - 100 dB
• impact drill: wood - 105 dB; steel 155 dB
• chainsaw - 120 dB
• Hunting/Shooting - up to 150 dB
It may be convenient to quickly grab a pair of earmuffs while you chain saw a branch or two in your yard but to enjoy a 4 hour highway motorcycle tour a good set of custom earplugs or custom Bluetooth stereo ear buds allowing cell phone communication may be a better choice. You don't have to sacrifice enjoyment or convenience while being responsible. The right choice can even go a long way in enhancing the overall experience. With custom hearing protection there are dozens of options available to suit any activity.
To explore some solution please contact Denise Holmlund at deniseholmlund@gmail.com or 306.361.4355 for more details.
Denise Holmlund
Momentum Nursing Services, Patient Navigator, Patient Consulting, CST, Advanced Foot Care, Lymphatic Drainage and Ayurvedic Services
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