Business Insight presented by Northwest Speech and Hearing Center Hearing the Sounds of Summer It may have been a chilly spring, but summer has arrived. Warmer weather leads to more outdoor time and with that comes some additional focus on your hearing. One summertime staple for many people is music. Concerts abound, from community stages to stadium tours featuring music's biggest stars. Live music is often played at higher volume than we experience day to day and that can be cause for concern. Prolonged exposure to noise above 85 decibels (dB) can cause permanent hearing damage. Sound levels at many concerts can range from 90 dB to a staggering 120 dB or more. At such volumes, our inner ear structures can become overwhelmed, leading to temporary or permanent hearing loss. At a concert, if you have to speak loudly, or shout, to be heard by someone an arm's length away, it could be a sign of excessive noise. If the noise level causes discomfort or pain in your ears or you experience buzzing or ringing during or after exposure to the noise, the noise you were exposed to was too loud. A smart solution involves wearing earplugs when you attend concerts. Custom earplugs can significantly reduce the intensity of sound reaching your ears while maintaining the clarity of the music. Investing in high-quality hearing protection allows you to enjoy the concert without compromising your hearing health. Your normal weekend activities may also pose a risk. Lawn mowers, weed whackers, and other power tools can generate dangerous noise levels, so those earplugs can be put to good use around the home as well. Summer is also construction season, and it is possible that your neighborhood may have street repairs, new home, school, or building construction, or ww Northwest Speech and Hearing Center Ltd. Marie Vetter-Toalson, Au.D other major projects taking place. While we all like to have the windows open in the summer, the constant noise of construction vehicles, jackhammers, roofers, and more can also create excessive sound levels. That's not to say that you need to spend your summer indoors. If your summer includes walking, running, biking, or lounging by the pool, be careful before popping those earbuds in to enjoy your summer playlists. Best practices suggest keeping personal audio devices at 60% volume or lower to prevent hearing damage. Exercise helps prevent cardiovascular disease which can be a contributor to hearing loss so being active outdoors is a plus-just manage the noise. On a more practical side, protecting your hearing means you can hear things that impact your safety like weather alerts either on the tv or radio or emergency sirens in your community. At Northwest Speech & Hearing we want you to enjoy every sound to the fullest. Give us a call if you have questions about your hearing or if you'd like to schedule a consultation. Now go enjoy the summer! | Northwest Speech and Hearing Center 1100 W. Central Rd., Ste. 409 Arlington Heights, IL 60005 847-392-2250 Business Insight presented by Northwest Speech and Hearing Center Hearing the Sounds of Summer It may have been a chilly spring , but summer has arrived . Warmer weather leads to more outdoor time and with that comes some additional focus on your hearing . One summertime staple for many people is music . Concerts abound , from community stages to stadium tours featuring music's biggest stars . Live music is often played at higher volume than we experience day to day and that can be cause for concern . Prolonged exposure to noise above 85 decibels ( dB ) can cause permanent hearing damage . Sound levels at many concerts can range from 90 dB to a staggering 120 dB or more . At such volumes , our inner ear structures can become overwhelmed , leading to temporary or permanent hearing loss . At a concert , if you have to speak loudly , or shout , to be heard by someone an arm's length away , it could be a sign of excessive noise . If the noise level causes discomfort or pain in your ears or you experience buzzing or ringing during or after exposure to the noise , the noise you were exposed to was too loud . A smart solution involves wearing earplugs when you attend concerts . Custom earplugs can significantly reduce the intensity of sound reaching your ears while maintaining the clarity of the music . Investing in high - quality hearing protection allows you to enjoy the concert without compromising your hearing health . Your normal weekend activities may also pose a risk . Lawn mowers , weed whackers , and other power tools can generate dangerous noise levels , so those earplugs can be put to good use around the home as well . Summer is also construction season , and it is possible that your neighborhood may have street repairs , new home , school , or building construction , or ww Northwest Speech and Hearing Center Ltd. Marie Vetter - Toalson , Au.D other major projects taking place . While we all like to have the windows open in the summer , the constant noise of construction vehicles , jackhammers , roofers , and more can also create excessive sound levels . That's not to say that you need to spend your summer indoors . If your summer includes walking , running , biking , or lounging by the pool , be careful before popping those earbuds in to enjoy your summer playlists . Best practices suggest keeping personal audio devices at 60 % volume or lower to prevent hearing damage . Exercise helps prevent cardiovascular disease which can be a contributor to hearing loss so being active outdoors is a plus - just manage the noise . On a more practical side , protecting your hearing means you can hear things that impact your safety like weather alerts either on the tv or radio or emergency sirens in your community . At Northwest Speech & Hearing we want you to enjoy every sound to the fullest . Give us a call if you have questions about your hearing or if you'd like to schedule a consultation . Now go enjoy the summer ! | Northwest Speech and Hearing Center 1100 W. Central Rd . , Ste . 409 Arlington Heights , IL 60005 847-392-2250