With the NFL football season upon us, there is often discussion about crowd noise and how important it can be to a team’s success. It is not unusual for levels to reach 110 decibels in the Mercedes Benz Superdome during the most exciting parts of the game.
Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints in the Georgia Dome, December 27th, 2010, on Monday Night Football in Atlanta, Georgia. The New Orleans Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons 17 to 14.
That makes for great football but according to CDC guidelines, that level of noise can damage your hearing after just 15 minutes. Whodat fans in the Dome are potentially exposed to sound at levels beyond the daily safe limit. It can damage the lining of the inner ear and cause temporary hearing loss, marked by ringing in the ear.
You can still experience the excitement and protect your hearing by using ear plugs. At the very least, purchase some online or over the counter. But for maximum protection, invest in ear plugs made to fit the contours of your ear.
At CNC Hearing and Balance Center, our audiologists can custom-fit ear plugs to offer maximum protection for your hearing. The process takes only a few minutes to make an impression of your ear canal. The impression is then sent to a lab, where a customized earplug is made to perfectly fit the shape of your ear.
You will get a lot of use out of your customized ear plugs. They can be used for many years and for many different events, not just extremely loud football games or concerts. Ear plugs are useful protection against more moderate sounds at sustained levels. The effect of lower volumes listened to over long periods is the same as that of louder sounds heard over a short period.
