PROHIERAN Blog

Depending on where you live, you may be noticing the annual rite of fireworks stands popping up all over for families who want to celebrate the 4th of July with their own personal fireworks displays. While many fireworks are fine if all safety precautions are properly followed, fireworks may cause another type of injury that stays with a person long after the finale: hearing loss.

Fireworks can be loud (extremely loud) and being near the launch site or even watching a professional show can result in a temporary or even permanent hearing loss caused by noise trauma. The result of such trauma can be a blocked hearing sensation or even a round-the-clock ringing of the ears (tinnitus). Fireworks-induced hearing loss can also cause some individuals to lose the ability to hear high frequency sounds or to hear things in a muffled way.

Most fireworks are estimated to be between 125 and 155 decibels, and According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), noise at 85 decibels or above can cause damage to hearing. But that doesn’t mean you need to forgo watching fireworks displays–a proud and beautiful tradition for many Americans. Rather, you should just keep ear health and overall safety as a determinant for choosing where you sit in relationship to the launch site and to consider bringing ear plugs in case the sounds seem excessive. Since earplugs don’t totally block the noise levels, you should be able to enjoyable watch and hear the fireworks, while not causing any negative affect to your hearing as a result.

If you have children who will be watching fireworks displays this Independence Day, keep their hearing wellness especially in mind. Studies show that people under age of 25 are three times more likely to suffer hearing loss from fireworks.

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