Loud NFL stadiums have become a source of pride for fans and teams across the country. But with stadium noise exceeding safe decibel (sound pressure) levels, it’s also a source of hearing loss. Cheering fans can push decibel (dB) levels well into the hundreds. At these levels, it only takes 1 to 15 minutes for the sound to damage your ears.
NIHL is damage done to the ears by exposure to loud noise; the amount of damage is dependent upon the decibel level and the length of time you’re exposed. Repeated exposure to sound levels above 85 dB can cause permanent hearing loss. Rather than not being able to hear at all, high-frequency sounds are usually the first to go, meaning you may be unable to hear s, f, sh, ch, h, or soft c sounds.
Hearing Loss by the Numbers
Cheering while the away team is in a huddle gives football fans the opportunity to get in on the action, but football isn’t the only sport that puts fans at risk. From vuvuzelas to referee whistles and fireworks, loud noise at sporting events is something all spectators should be aware of. We know you sports fans love your stats, so here are a few to help you get your play call right.
The trick play is that hearing loss is cumulative, meaning you probably won’t notice the loss until it’s so apparent that you have no choice but to fix it. So how do you defend against hearing loss? Our key players are earmuffs and earplugs, along with awareness (which you’re already practicing). When shopping for hearing protection, use the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) as a guide. The number is found using a standard formula to measure potentially achievable protection; it’s helpful as a rough guideline for how many decibels are being reduced.
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