Protect Your Family’s Hearing this 4th of July

With the Fourth of July this week everyone’s getting ready for backyard barbeques, fun in the sun and, of course, knockout displays of fireworks. While fireworks are exciting and beautiful, they also present a danger to our hearing –especially younger ears. To have a safe and happy Fourth of July this year remember to protect your families hearing with these tips:

Recognize Hearing Hazards

Hearing loss most often happens slowly and gradually but around excessive noise significant, permanent hearing loss can happen in a single exposure. Hearing loss is permanent, the fine mechanisms of our inner ear that detect sound are unable to repair or replace themselves once they are harmed.

When fireworks explode they produce a huge sound hazard for those watching the display. Hearing damage can start at noise levels above 85 decibels (dB), the sound of a busy highway. The louder the sound, the more quickly it can damage our hearing. Sounds above 120dB cause physical pain to the ear and immediate hearing damage. While 120 dB is about the noise level of a gunshot or jet plane, fireworks explosions can emit sounds up to 155 dB. At 155dB not only is instantaneous permanent damage done to hearing, it will also cause physical pain in the ears and lingering effects of hearing damage, like the ringing of tinnitus.

Keep a Safe Distance

Your first defense against fireworks is to make sure you are a safe distance away from their noise. The American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) recommends being at least 500 feet away from fireworks. How long is 500 feet? The length is just a little shorter than two football fields, about the length of an average city block. Sitting 500 or more feet from the launch of fireworks will help diffuse the loudness of the noise you and your loved ones are exposed to.

Keeping your family at a safe distance protects everyone’s exposure to noise, and it doesn’t have to mean missing out on the action. Most large fireworks displays can be seen clearly for miles from their site, so sitting a healthy distance away from the display doesn't have to obstruct your view or experience of the show.

Use Ear Protection

Our ears are incredibly sensitive, and younger ears are even more so. Excessively loud sounds, like the explosion of fireworks can cause instant, permanent damage to hearing in children and adults alike. Attend fireworks displays with the right ear protection to keep your family’s hearing healthy.  At the minimum, make sure a good pair of earplugs is available for everyone attending. Children under age 5 should have well-fitted sound dampening earmuffs to protect their ears.

Forgo Home Fireworks

Even if home fireworks are legal in your city or state, reconsider before you invest in putting on a home display. While home fireworks don’t emit the noise of professional displays, they can explode at hazardous noise levels. Even though they are smaller, home fireworks can still reach noise levels that cause rapid hearing loss.

Instead of putting on a home or neighborhood display, consider throwing your Fourth of July party with a LED light display and music. A display of party lights can be reused while still creating a festive scene, without the noise hazard.

Know When to Seek Help

While being a great time for summer fun, the Fourth of July is one of the most hazardous days of the year for hearing. If you think that you’ve sustained hearing damage, the most important thing is to seek help. Working with an audiologist can help determine the extent of hearing damage and detect if significant hearing loss is present.

After a fireworks display, if you feel pain or ringing in your ears, it is time to get your hearing examined. Check in with the children in your family about their hearing. While most hearing loss is permanent, it can be effectively managed with treatment. The sooner hearing loss is treated, the easier it is to adapt to.

For all your hearing concerns, make Orange County Physicians' Hearing Services your go-to audiologist. At Orange County Physicians’ Hearing Services we offer comprehensive hearing testing and diagnosis of hearing issues. If you are dealing with permanent hearing loss we can help you connect with the best, most effective treatment options. Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!