{"id":1247,"date":"2022-05-20T22:00:30","date_gmt":"2022-05-20T22:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aaronshearingcare.com\/?p=1247"},"modified":"2022-05-20T22:00:39","modified_gmt":"2022-05-20T22:00:39","slug":"how-can-i-protect-my-hearing-at-sporting-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aaronshearingcare.com\/how-can-i-protect-my-hearing-at-sporting-events\/","title":{"rendered":"How Can I Protect My Hearing at Sporting Events?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Take me out to the ball game\u2026 But don\u2019t forget to bring hearing protection! Sports stadiums like Hard Rock Stadium<\/a> can be dangerously noisy, and you can experience noise-induced hearing loss if you aren\u2019t careful. We review tips for protecting your hearing at the next game below.<\/p>\n\n\n

How Loud Sounds Cause Damage<\/h2>\n\n\n
\"Crowd<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Inside the inner ear is the cochlea, which contains tiny hair cells called stereocilia. The stereocilia convert incoming soundwaves into electrical energy that is interpreted by the brain as sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If dangerously loud sounds, like crowd noise at a sporting event, pass through the ears, it can damage or destroy the stereocilia. Any damage is permanent, and sensorineural hearing loss is the result.<\/p>\n\n\n

How Loud Are Sporting Events?<\/h2>\n\n\n

Any sound over 85 dB can cause damage with enough exposure. For reference, this is about the volume of passing highway traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fall of 2013, the Seattle Seahawks set the record for the loudest sports stadium on record at 136.6 dB. The following month, the Kansas City Chiefs topped them with a new record of a whopping 137.5 dB. This is loud enough to cause damage with as little as a minute of exposure!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baseball is another sport that can be loud. One 2019 study<\/a> found that the noise levels<\/a> in baseball stadiums are high enough to cause hearing damage and\/or tinnitus later. Their survey found that most respondents reported they did not consider wearing earplugs, and one-third experienced hearing muffled speech after the game.<\/p>\n\n\n

How to Protect Your Hearing<\/h2>\n\n\n

Some strategies for protecting your hearing at a sporting event include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n