How to Enjoy Summer Concerts and Festivals with Your Hearing Aids

Noise-induced hearing loss can be prevented if you take measures to protect your hearing. If you have hearing loss already then it is advisable to take steps to give your ears the protection they need, to stop the issue from getting worse. If you want to find out more about that then simply look below.

How Loud is too Loud?

Your hearing sense is always active, even when you sleep. You probably don’t pay attention to your hearing until you experience some form of discomfort. A sound that is just far too loud will cause you to cover your ears, so you can block it out. Audiologists have said time and time again that you should not expose yourself to sounds that are over 85 decibels (dBs) for over eight hours at a time. The louder the sound is, the less exposure it takes before your hearing is affected. If you hear a sound at 115 decibels or more, then this has the ability to damage your hearing in under 30 seconds.

A normal conversation happens at around 60dBs, and the sound of a jet plane is around 120 decibels when taking off. Most live festivals tend to be around 100 decibels in total. If you want to protect your hearing then it is vital that you take steps now, so you can enjoy the festival period to the fullest. If you have hearing aids then this guide will help you to make the most out of your concert experience, so you don’t have to worry about missing out.

Protecting Your Hearing During Festival Season

First of all, you need to take note that some music changes in volume as time goes on. You can accommodate this by changing the volume of your hearing aids, so it’s not as loud coming into your ears. If you find that the music is still too loud then one thing you can do is try and use hearing protection like earplugs or earmuffs. If you use this in tandem with your hearing aid then this will stop it from picking up as many frequencies, while lowering the volume.

One thing to know about music is that it has the ability to overload the hearing aid, causing distortion. This is especially the case for loud music or live bands. If you are struggling with distortion, then it may be good for you to use hearing protection.

Try Enhanced Listening

Music can be on for more than just a listening experience. If you find it hard with your hearing aids because of the volume and need to turn them down then this is a great solution, but some feel as though it takes them out of the experience. If you want to enjoy this then you need to try tapping or dancing to the beat. Watching the musicians or taking the time to read the lyrics on stage will also help you to feel more connected to the music. This will help you to submerse yourself in the experience.

Choose the Right Device

Going to a festival can be fun, but it can also be a little difficult if you have a hearing aid. One thing you can do, before you go to a concert, would be for you to make sure that you are choosing the right device. Your audiologist will be able to work with you to make sure that your settings are correct. They can also show you how to adjust your hearing aid, which is major, to say the least. Some songs will be louder than others at a festival and at times, you may feel as though you are having to adjust yours multiple times per act. This is completely normal, but if you choose the right device then you may find that you can limit the adjustments you need to make overall. Choosing the right hearing aids will also help you to hear the lyrics and the music with much more clarity, so make sure that you have a chat with your audiologist today to see if they can give you some support with your hearing journey.

Of course, if you want to learn more then make sure you get in touch with Audiology & Hearing Aid Solutions at (973) 721-6520 and (201) 375-9081. One of our audiologists would be more than happy to help answer any questions that you might have.