3 Hobbies that Need Hearing Protection

Sometimes hobbies can become a huge part of our lives, and rightly so. Gaining enjoyment and pleasure in any activity should certainly mean that you could do with it some more. Your health and safety should be paramount to any activity undertaken, especially when the method of protecting yourself can be done so simply.

Quite often, especially considering how simple and effective it is, hearing protection can be an unsung hero for hobbies. So here we talk about three hobbies that really need hearing protection, which you may not have considered before.

Hunting

You may have thought that hearing protection could affect the hobby itself in that it would make whispering amongst your hunting buddies a little louder or you may miss a crackle of branches among the forest debris laying on the ground. Still, hearing protection is vital for your long-term hearing health, even if you already experience hearing loss!

For hunters who currently experience hearing loss, high-quality electronic mufflers are wearable over any hearing aids already in place. While they block loud noises to protect your hearing, you will still be able to hear background noise.

Consider your hearing health to be top-notch as it is? Then noise-canceling ear defenders will work just as well, protecting your current hearing health status.

Consult your audiologist for advice and methods that will best suit your hunting hobby, for your ears.

Swimming

Hearing protection is not only about alleviating pressure from physical sound impulses. It’s also vital to maintain hygienic practices in keeping your ears clean and free of debris to protect your hearing in the longer term.

Earplugs of any kind will ensure air bubbles or trapped water steer clear of the ear canal and eardrum, affecting hearing abilities across both adults and children.

Earplugs, similar to the earmuffs mentioned above, don’t act as a silencer, so wearers will still be able to hear the whistle of a lifeguard during training. Additionally, they typically come in different sizes or styles, making hearing protection for this hobby easy to achieve, regardless of age or swimming ability.

Motorcycling

For most, it’s all about the purring roar of the engine, which can be up to three times the decibel level of your typical motor vehicle – coming in at over 80 decibels, without other traffic adding to the mix. Any audiologist will advise that this is a decibel level that you should be sourcing hearing protection from.

Did you know that the reverberations from the engine, road and headwind can be exacerbated by the crucial helmet that you’re certainly not going to remove too? So, look for pliable earplugs that sit comfortably inside your ears under your helmet. In addition, you may wish to invest in custom molded earplugs for optimum fit, which will allow you to continue to enjoy your hobby without risk to your health or comfort.

To know more about how these activities or any other hobbies you might have may need hearing protection, you should take the time to consult an audiologist for the very best advice in protecting your hearing.