Athletes & Hearing Loss

Recall the last time you were at a big sporting event. Not only professional games in arenas but also high-school and college games are a cause for big excitement! With hot dogs and pompons in hand, a sporting event can bring out the wild side of even the most refined among us. When you last attended a sporting event, what was your experience after leaving? Did you continue to feel the rush of victory or the dejection of defeat? What were your bodily sensations? You might have felt physically exhausted from the rush but you might have also noticed a ringing in your ears.

Now, imagine that you were one of the players. Game after game, your ears would be subjected to very loud sounds, so much that you might have temporary hearing loss after each event. Those who are professional athletes, with the exception of golfers, have experienced the noise of events night after night for years. This inundation of loud sound can have a lasting effect on hearing ability. What is the relation between athletics and hearing loss? What can be done to prevent hearing loss for athletes?

Sports-Related Hearing Damage

Athletes put themselves at risk of all kinds of injuries, and some of these injuries can cause hearing loss. A severe blow to the head can do invisible damage to the auditory pathway, and other injuries can have even more severe hearing effects. In addition to the heightened possibility of injury to the ears or auditory pathway, the loud sounds associated with sports can lead to lasting hearing damage in some cases.

The volume level of a sporting event tends to range from 85 decibels to 118 decibels, depending on the size of the crowd and excitement. To put that volume in context, sustained sound at 85 decibels can lead to permanent hearing loss, and even a relatively brief sound at 120 decibels can lead to damage. Those who participate in sports night after night can have higher levels of damage than others.

Don’t forget the associated workers involved in sports and athletics industries. All of the coaches, support staff, and arena employees are subjected to this sound, and the risks of damage are not limited to the athletes themselves. With this nexus of the potential for injury and the noise level of events, athletes and all others involved in sports occupations run the risk of permanent hearing loss.

Preventing Sports-Related Hearing Loss

If you are actively involved in the sporting world, either as a player or in another capacity, there are things you can do to prevent permanent hearing loss from the sports environment. The first step you can take is to take care of your hearing in other contexts. If you have a habit of using earbuds for extended periods of time, take note that these devices can be seriously damaging to your hearing. Particularly if you are wearing earbuds in a sporting context while warming up, the volume coming from your device is added to the already-loud context of the environment.

Be sure to keep your eye on the volume of your smartphone or device. It is common to let this volume creep upward, particularly if there is a relatively quieter song or voice on your device. You can limit the duration of use, as well. Rather than leaving your earbuds in for the entire time from entering the sports facility until you leave, why not only put your earbuds in to listen to an energizing song or to catch some news, afterward removing them or playing very quiet music in the background. The other main preventative measure you can take is to wear earplugs during loud sporting events.

If you are worried about the potential loss of awareness and communication with other players, try out earplugs in a practice environment first. Some custom-fitted earplugs are designed to cut only the very damaging frequencies while allowing you to hear voices that are necessary for the game. They can also take down the overall decibel level by only 20 decibels in order to make it possible to communicate easily while also preserving your hearing ability. With the proper precautions, you can enjoy your athletic career without doing damage to your hearing.

If you have been concerned about your hearing abilities, contact us today to take a hearing test and learn more about hearing protection.