Hearing protection during the summer
For many people, summer is the finest season of the year. The sun is shining and there is always something fun to do. During these carefree vacation days, it is extra important to protect your hearing. After all, you go outside more often and so you end up in noisy environments more quickly.
At festivals and concerts, the decibel meter goes heavily into the red. Even at garden parties and summer bars, the music is often dangerously loud at times. It is important to protect your hearing when listening to music.
But there are plenty of other situations and summer activities where it's better to be careful with your hearing. Consider motorcycling, city trips in noisy metropolises, or swimming in rivers, lakes and seas.
In this article you will learn during which summer activities hearing protection is especially important. You'll also discover which earplugs are best used for that purpose then.
Hearing protection for festivals and music
Summer is the ultimate festival season. Festivals, concerts and performances provide you with unforgettable moments. Make sure you experience these music events in a safe way. After all, at festivals the music is dangerously loud.
Festivals soon flirt with the 100 dB limit. At this volume level, you immediately risk permanent hearing damage. In fact, from 85 dB there is already a risk of hearing damage. The best hearing protection for these types of events are festival earplugs.
At music events, moreover, your ears are exposed to sound for long periods of time. Time flies by when your favorite artists are on stage. Festival-goers think they can sense for themselves when they are being disturbed. But that is a false sense of security. When your ears hurt and squeak, it is often already too late.
Others think there is only risk of hearing damage with pounding techno beats or ripping metal guitars. That's not true. Any genre of music can be harmful from a certain sound level. Therefore, at all music events, it is important to always protect your hearing. Moreover, the sound level in a small venue can be just as damaging as on a huge festival grounds.
Exposure to excessively loud music is one of the main causes of hearing loss and conditions such as tinnitus and hyperacusis. Moreover, hearing damage is irreversible. Therefore, protect your hearing with the right earplugs during festivals.
An often-heard argument against earplugs is that hearing protection takes away from the music experience. That's not exactly a reasoned opinion. After all, festival earplugs are just designed to enhance the sound experience.
In fact, custom music earplugs have a special filter so you can still clearly perceive all the nuances of the music. But at a safe noise level. In addition, these earplugs are also suitable for better understanding each other in a noisy festival environment.
Even with the right earplugs, it is better to give your ears a rest now and then. Make sure you take regular breaks at festivals in between enjoying the music.
Hearing protection while motorcycling
Engines make considerable noise, easily reaching noise levels of 95 decibels at 100 km/h. Such a robust exhaust noise is comparable to a train whizzing by or a jackhammer.
Loud exhausts and wind noise can cause permanent hearing damage. With the right earplugs, you can protect your hearing while motorcycling. Custom-made earplugs protect your hearing from harmful engine noise and wind noise.
Custom motorcycle earplugs have optimal wearing comfort. They are designed for long-term use and suitable for wearing under a tight helmet.
Hearing protection while swimming
When you think of hearing damage, the first things that come to mind are loud music and noisy environments. Fortunately, you can protect yourself from harmful noise for any situation with the right earplugs.
Yet your ears can also be damaged in other ways. You may not think about it, but swimming is one of the main contributors to annoying hearing problems.
While swimming, water may actually be left in your ear canal. Usually this is harmless and will seep out of your ear on its own. But sometimes this remaining fluid causes an infection. Swimmer's ear is the name for an inflammation of the skin of your ear canal. This inflammation causes ear pain, itching, crusting and hearing loss, among other things.
Swimmer's ear is caused by bacteria in dirty water. In summer, you are more likely to splash in a river, stream, the sea or a poorly maintained vacation pool. Want to avoid a swimmer's ear? Then always take a shower afterwards and dry your ears thoroughly.
When swimming in water of questionable quality, it's best to play it safe right away. Don't swim in dirty water or wear custom-made swim caps so you avoid swimmer's ear.
In addition, try to avoid rummaging in your ear canal when you suspect sand or water in it. Cleaning your ear canal and removing earwax is the job of your doctor or other type of specialist.
Hearing protection for city trips
Rome, Paris or Prague: summer is ideal for planning a fun city trip. Busy cities, unfortunately, are not known for their peace and quiet.
On the way to your travel destination, your ears also get quite a bit of abuse. Just think of noisy terminals and taking off planes, racing trains, and crowded streetcars and subways.
When traveling, you just want to relax. Are you easily affected by urban noise and loud traffic? Then put hearing protection against overstimulation on your checklist. Earplugs are also a must on your packing list if you're hiking in nature or going camping. You never know what annoying nighttime noise or snoring travel partner might otherwise keep you awake at night.
Hearing protection for going out
In summer, you are more likely to take another step into the world at night. The music in summer bars and city beaches creates a nice atmosphere. And sometimes, unfortunately, an annoying ringing in your ears the next morning. In noisy entertainment venues, it is also not always easy to understand each other. Earplugs for going out muffle the harmful sounds of nightlife and ensure that you can still understand your conversation partners.