Planning on attending a Timbers game at Providence Park this month? Sports stadiums rely on loud noise to excite the crowd and keep energy levels high, but that loud noise can reach hazardous levels for the attendees. We want you to protect your hearing while still enjoying the game to the fullest, so here’s our survival guide for attending sporting events this fall.
What You Need to Know About Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
As the name suggests, noise-induced hearing loss, or NIHL, is hearing damage caused by exposure to loud noise. Loud noises have wide, powerful sound waves that enter our ears with force, like a hurricane ripping through the trees. Just as a hurricane can uproot trees, sound waves of this magnitude can damage the sensory cells deep inside our ears, which are critical to our ability to hear.
Sounds exceeding 85 decibels are considered hazardous to hearing. Sports stadiums can easily reach 110 decibels or more. At that level, it only takes a couple of minutes to cause irreversible hearing damage.
Tips for the Stadium
- Wear hearing protection. Our #1 tip for the #1 fans out there: bring hearing protection. Earplugs, earmuffs and noise-canceling headphones are all effective ways to block or weaken the biggest sound waves before they reach the inner ear. We’ve been encouraged to see how many people have started wearing hearing protection to places like sporting events and concerts; join their ranks and protect your hearing.
- Choose your seat wisely. Some spots in the stadium will be louder than others. Avoid sitting near speakers or amplifiers and, unless you bring hearing protection, don’t sit in the seats where the loudest fans tend to congregate.
- Take breaks. Get out of your seat to give your ears a break whenever possible. This could include getting a hot dog, drink or going to the bathroom, but the important part is getting some space.
Tips for At-Home Parties
Just because your home doesn’t have an announcer doesn’t mean it can’t reach hazardous noise levels, too. Protect your and your guests’ hearing by following these tips:
- Don’t blast the TV. This one is simple: keep the television volume at a reasonable level. We recommend no more than 60%. Not only will this protect you from dangerous sound levels coming from the television speakers, but it also saves you and your friends from having to shout at each other to be heard over the audio, making it even louder.
- Don’t use noisemakers. Airhorns and whistles are great fun in a stadium, but they shouldn’t be used at home. This is because stadiums have more space, so sound waves can escape into the air around you. At home, they don’t escape; instead, they bounce off the walls and make the effect even worse.
- Take breaks. Yes, this tip works for both stadiums and home parties. Luckily, commercials give you the perfect opportunity to do so. Consider muting the TV during commercials, which will encourage everyone to speak at a lower volume.
When to See an Audiologist
As mentioned above, at certain sound levels, it only takes a few minutes of exposure for irreversible hearing damage to occur. If you notice any changes in your hearing in the days after your sporting event, seek out an audiologist immediately for a hearing test.
