Enjoy the fireworks this year but don’t sacrifice your hearing. Fireworks are loud, transient bursts. Depending on how loud and how close you are, they can be dangerous. Since you’re probably not toting your sound level meter along to measure your exposure or counting off how many meters you are from the explosion site, your best bet is to take a pair of roll down ear plugs with you to protect your ears. Children are at even greater risk. Because their ear canals are smaller, the pressure in their ear canals is greater. That is, they experience the sound as more loud. It is recommended that infants not attend fireworks displays because their risk for noise induced hearing loss is even greater. Noise induced hearing loss is permanent but preventable. You can quickly pick up inexpensive disposable ear plugs at a drug store near you. If you experience ringing in your ears, a sensation of fullness or pressure, or reduced hearing after the fireworks, schedule a hearing test. Noise induced hearing loss is cumulative and we all experience it to varying degrees as we age. Reduce your exposure one opportunity at a time. Happy Independence Day from Precision Hearing, Burlingame!
