It covers frequently asked questions like “May an employer request medical information about an applicant’s hearing impairment that is obvious or that the applicant has disclosed?” as well as important information about accommodations for people with hearing disabilities.

Know your rights, at EEOC.gov’s Questions and Answers about Deafness and Hearing Impairments in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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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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One of the reasons people love to attend sporting events so much is the roar of the crowds, the bands and drums, the entertainment, and of course, the reactions, whistles, horns, cheers, chants and screams whenever your favorite team — or the opponents — score. Players cite the same reasons as well for why they love to play in front of large crowds.

But, if you’ve ever left a sporting event with a ringing in your ears, felt head pressure, or feel like you have earplugs in (but you don’t), then quite possibly your ears are taking a temporary time-out from the action. The result is what is referred to as a temporary hearing loss.

Determining what is considered an excessive and potentially dangerous noise level is difficult. Some hearing specialists say that sounds louder than 85 decibels are potentially hazardous to your hearing. This means that an extended exposure to any sound louder than a normal conversation can potentially be hurting your hearing. By comparison, a lawn mower is considered about 95 decibels. The roars of sporting events have been recorded at 108 decibels in previous studies.

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, an estimated 30 million Americans are regularly exposed to dangerous noise levels. That is an increase of 10 million from just a few years ago. These numbers include many young people who, due to environmental noise exposure, experience diminished hearing in their teens and 20s.

Why no one is saying you shouldn’t go to your favorite sporting eventóor concert or car raceóyou should do what you can to protect your hearing. Keep your ears at their optimal by wearing ear plugs. Also consider supplements like ProHieran for promoting overall hearing wellness.

Learn more about ProHieran here.

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