Happy Independence Day! I hope you have plans for all sorts of fun activities.
4th of July Celebrations are great fun, but remember to protect your hearing. Millions of Americans are suffering from noise induced permanent hearing loss. Exploding Fireworks can reach over 130 decibels of impact causing damage to your hearing.
If you have to shout to be heard by someone standing right next to you, if your ears hurt or you have ringing in the ears, it’s a good sign of excessive noise exposure.
You can Protect your hearing this 4th of July by wearing earplugs. Don’t let your fun get spoiled by being too close to exploding Fireworks that can cause a problem with your hearing.
Hearing loss can also cause you to gradually loose your independence. Hearing loss starts out as a minor annoyance that seems to inconvenience everyone else more than you. Over time, it becomes more difficult to function in challenging situations and it becomes easier to rationalize not going out and participating in the activities that you enjoy. As hearing continues to change, it becomes difficult to hear the doorbell, the phone ring, and many other sounds we take for granted.
It is easy to say that you don’t really need help yet, but most people wait way too long to even get their hearing checked. I know that I head right back to my eye doctor when things get a little out of focus because it is annoying not to see well. It is also annoying to not hear well. Hearing is so important for a good quality of life.
If you have questions about your hearing, give us a call at 727-323-2471.
Susan E. Terry, Au.D.