Hunting season is in full swing in many areas. Among the many safety precautions that should be taken by hunters, protecting your hearing should be somewhere near the top of the list. Exposure to sounds in excess of 85 dB can permanently damage your hearing. The damage is dependent on the amount of time exposed to the noise and the loudness of the sound. The louder the sound, the shorter the duration of time before hearing loss occurs.
Unfortunately, almost all firearms create noise that exceeds140dB. Just one brief exposure to a sound that loud can cause permanent and irreversible damage to your hearing. An additional consequence of exposure to loud noise is the possibility of developing tinnitus.
WHAT IS TINNITUS?
Tinnitus is a medical condition characterized by persistent ringing in one or both ears. Individuals who experience tinnitus have also described it as whistling, hissing, buzzing, or pulsing in the ear. The effects range from slight annoyance to a severe disruption of everyday life.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HEARING WHILE HUNTING
If you’re one of the many hunters heading for the woods this fall, there are measures you can take to reduce your chance of causing a noise-induced hearing loss starting with the use of hearing protection. Numerous products are available specifically for hunters. Some devices will cancel out loud noises (over 80 decibels for example), but will transmit and amplify speech and other non-damaging sounds below that level.
If you are a hunter who doesn’t wear hearing protection, don’t be fooled into thinking that just because you don’t notice an immediate loss of hearing, you aren’t damaging your hearing. Reduce your risk of damage to your hearing. Call our office today; we can provide guidance in the proper selection of hearing protection.