Posted on: March 20, 2014
When we think of hearing loss caused by noise we often think of noisy jobs, such as construction or service in the Military. However, many recreational activities can be just as damaging to our hearing.
Take hunting and sport shooting for example. Some small rifles can produce sounds of 140 decibels and some pistols can be as noisy as 175 decibels. This is enough noise to cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus after one shot. The best way to protect your hearing in this situation is to wear earmuffs or custom earplugs for hunters.
Any motorcycle enthusiasts out there? While fun, this hobby can also be very damaging to your hearing. The average engine noise of a motorcycle is over 100 decibels. Permanent hearing loss can occur after several minutes of exposure to this level of noise. Wind noise can also be very loud. About 100 decibels when traveling around 110 km/h. Again, custom hearing protection is the best solution.
Other sources of recreational noise include power tools, lawnmowers, and vacuums to name a few. That is if you consider yard and housework recreational. Custom hearing protection or at the very least over the counter hearing plugs are not a bad idea when engaged in these activities.
For more information on noise exposure and hearing protection please contact Accurate Hearing at 252-3004 in Sackville or 423-7734 in Halifax.