When flying, after stowing away our luggage, and nestling into our seats many people will want to pass the time by immediately popping in earbuds to watch movies or listen to music. While this is a great way to keep yourself occupied during long flights, it can be a danger for your ears. Since you are traveling on an airplane, you will turn the volume up louder than you normally would so you can drown out the plane's engines. Listening to 100 decibels for 15 minutes can damage your hearing. When you have loud music mixed with an already loud environment, that can cause some serious damage over long periods of time.
Some tips to help you protect your hearing:
- Wear noise isolation headphones. If you are on a long flight, noise isolation headphones not only will protect your ears, but you can also drown out sound and help yourself get some sleep.
- A cheap solution for ear safety is to purchase some ear plugs.
- Yawn, chew gum, or drink something during ascent and descent to protect your ears from pressure changes.
Have a great Thanksgiving and safe travels!
Give us a call at 1-800-BELTONE to locate your nearest Beltone office if you're away from home and you need to see a Beltone Hearing Care Practitioner.