Football season is starting this weekend, with all its energy and excitement. If you’ve ever attended a sports game in person, be it football, basketball or soccer, you know the atmosphere in the stadium is powerful and fun, but also loud. Preparing for a visit to your team’s stadium to enjoy the game to the fullest while still protecting your hearing health is essential.
Are Sports Events Dangerous for Hearing?
Noise-induced hearing loss, or NIHL, can happen at any age; it’s estimated that at least 10 million adults under the age of 70 suffer from NIHL. Any loud noise, whether prolonged exposure (like a construction site) or a one-time sound (like fireworks), can damage your hearing. Hearing damage may manifest as tinnitus or hearing loss, which may be temporary or permanent.
Sound is measured in decibels (dBA). Sounds at or above 85 dBA have the potential to damage hearing. For reference, a normal conversation is usually between 60 and 70 dBA. Sporting events, with their loudspeakers and whistles and screaming fans, come in around or above 110 dBA. That’s already loud, and when you factor in that some sporting events take hours, that’s a lot of loud noise exposure.
Before the Event
Here are some precautions you can take before arriving at the stadium to protect your hearing:
- Be strategic with your seat. Try to put some distance between yourself and any speakers or amplifiers.
- Invest in hearing protection, such as earplugs, noise-cancelling headphones or earmuffs.
- Plan your arrival and departure. You may consider arriving late or leaving early to reduce your noise exposure.
- If you already have hearing loss, check out accommodations in advance. Stadiums and arenas need to be ADA-compliant and should have accommodations available for those with hearing loss. Check the venue’s website or call customer service to find out about loop systems, captioning, designated seating or any other accommodation you may need.
During the Event
- Wear hearing protection. Good ear protection can reduce sound by up to 30 dBA. That’s a big difference!
- Take breaks. Allow your ears to rest and recover by finding a quiet area of the arena away from any speakers or noisy fans.
After the Event
- Rest your ears. Take a day or two after the event and try to stay in quiet environments.
- Book a hearing health care appointment if you’re experiencing a change in hearing or tinnitus. Our trained team can use the results of your in-home hearing test to determine the damage done and make recommendations from there. Call SmartStep Hearing today to learn more!