We’re right in the swing of the Halloween season and there is fun to be had for people of all ages. Whether it’s carving pumpkins and taking your grandkids trick-or-treating or attending parties or even the 7th Annual Trunk or Treat Car Show, there is no shortage of things to do.
While we want to enjoy this fun and festive time, it’s also important to know that certain Halloween activities may be loud enough to cause ear damage and potential hearing loss. The good news is you can protect your hearing while still going out to celebrate.
Spooky Sounds That Can Damage Your Hearing
Repeated or prolonged exposure to noises above 85 decibels can cause noise-induced hearing loss. The louder the noise, the less time it takes for damage to occur. Halloween activities like concerts, haunted houses, Halloween parties and festivals all have the potential to reach harmful volumes and cause hearing loss.
Unfortunately, noise-induced hearing loss is common among people of all ages. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention (CDC), it’s estimated that “12.5% of children and adolescents aged 6–19 years and 17% of adults aged 20–69 years have suffered permanent damage to their hearing from excessive exposure to noise.”
Sometimes hearing loss after noise exposure can be temporary, and your hearing may return to normal within a few hours to a couple of days. However, permanent damage may have still occurred.
Preventing Noise-induced Hearing Loss
Wearing the proper hearing protection like earplugs or earmuffs can help keep your ears safe while you participate in loud activities. You can pick earplugs up from your local drugstore or talk to an audiologist about getting a custom, reusable pair that are designed for specific activities, like playing or listening to music.
Do I Have Hearing Loss?
If you’re concerned that loud noise exposure has already caused damage to your ears, keep an eye out for the early signs of hearing loss. These include:
- Feeling as though everyone is mumbling
- Struggling to hear high-pitched noises
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Difficulty following conversations in places with a lot of background noise
- Trouble understanding phone conversations
- Needing to turn the volume up the TV or radio higher than you used to
- Family members and friends have commented on your hearing
For more information on how to protect yours no matter the season or to schedule an appointment, contact Tejas Hearing Aid Center today.