It’s officially the first day of fall! The time has come for pumpkin spice everything, football and changing leaves! There are so many things to do, and you can make sure you enjoy them to the fullest by taking care of your hearing this fall! 

People of all ages should take extra precautions this season, and keep in mind these tips from the audiologists at Active Hearing Health. 

1. Be wary of loud gardening tools

The changing leaves are beautiful, but they can make quite a mess of your yard! Many people may be tempted to use a leaf blower to clear the mess from their yard.  These machines can reach 90 to 100 decibels, which is definitely loud enough to cause damage to a user's hearing. If you do use a leaf blower, make sure you are wearing adequate ear protection. You can get custom ear protection from a hearing specialist in Omaha (earplugs that have been specifically molded to the shape of your ear). These can also be worn when using lawnmowers, chainsaws, and hedge trimmers too!

2. Enjoy your favorite sports in moderation

Everyone loves to watch their favorite team play football, and it’s even better when you get to watch it in person! All the camaraderie and cheering can get a little loud though. Kansas City Chiefs fans broke a Guinness World record in 2014 for cheers that reached 142.2 decibels in the first quarter! That’s louder than a jet plane! One way to counteract that level of noise exposure is to make sure and take breaks from all the loud cheering. Go over to concessions, take a breather, and maybe eat a hotdog or two! 

3. Maximize hunting protection

There is a lot of equipment needed to go hunting in a safe manner, and that includes ear protection! A single gunshot has the potential to cause immediate damage to your hearing. No matter if you are out in the wild or on a shooting range, be sure to have ear protection with the highest noise reduction rating (NRR) you can find! You can even combine earplugs and earmuffs to guarantee maximum protection. 

4. Keep your ears warm

While it’s not winter yet, it can start to get pretty chilly at night in the fall. Your ears are more susceptible to the cold than other body parts because they have no protective fat tissue to keep them warm. This can restrict blood flow and cause your ears to start hurting. 

5. Take your allergy meds 

 Fall can be notorious for causing allergies to go into overdrive. A common symptom of allergies is the feeling of being “stuffed up” which can cause your ears to feel full. This can lead to difficulty hearing and even tinnitus. These symptoms can be prevented by making sure you take allergy medicine as needed. If these symptoms continue, it is important to visit with an audiologist and hearing specialist in Omaha to see if there could be a different cause behind it. 

Visit us!

If you are searching for a hearing specialist in Omaha, then contact the audiologists at Active Hearing Health! They are here to help you through fall and beyond for all your hearing healthcare needs. Make an appointment today!