SOMERSET, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Whether you’re catching the Big Game in Phoenix or your hometown, noise levels on and away from the field can sideline your hearing health – and even lead to permanent damage.
“There’s a lot of noise around the game, the teams and the players as football fans gear up for Super Bowl Sunday,” says Dr. Annette Mazevski, an audiologist for leading hearing solutions company Oticon, Inc. “But it’s the actual noise on the field and in the stands that can create challenges for hearing health.”
Cheering fans can raise noise levels in NFL football stadiums to ear-damaging levels. The average volume is estimated to be in the mid-90 decibel range, about the level of power tools. This fall, Kansas City Chiefs fans upset the noise record for the loudest outdoor sports stadium coming in at a roaring 142.2 decibels, about the range of fireworks blast. Dr. Mazevski points out that repeated expose to sounds louder than 85 decibels can cause permanent hearing loss.
If you didn’t score a ticket to the Big Game, you may still be exposed to unhealthy noise levels watching the game from your local sports bar. Fan excitement can drive up noise levels in off-the-field locations as well. A group of Oticon audiologists tested noise levels during NFL playoffs at popular sports bars in several cities. They found that on average, bar noise was in the 80 decibel range, about the noise level of an alarm clock. During touchdowns, fan noise rose to 110 decibels and during big plays, reached 114.9 decibels - louder than a car horn.
Don’t think players on the field are spared exposure to noise in the stands. Football helmets are designed to protect players’ heads, not their hearing. Openings on either side of the helmet allow them to hear crowd noise and calls on the field. When Oticon audiologists measured sound levels with a regulation helmet, using KEMAR, an acoustic research mannequin, sound levels were virtually the same with and without the helmet.
How to tackle the noise? Dr. Mazevski recommends investing in inexpensive ear plugs to protect hearing from big game noise. At just under $3.50 for a package of ten pairs, it’s about the best bargain fans are likely to see this season. In recent years, Super Bowl ticket prices have averaged between $500 and $600.
It makes good hearing sense for fans to stay alert to noise damage post-game too. It’s not uncommon for ears to ring for a short period after being in a noisy environment. If the ringing doesn’t go away after 3 or more days however, Dr. Mazevski recommends a checkup with a hearing care professional.
Check out Oticon’s colorful Sports & Noise Infographic to learn more about how noise affects crowds, players and even referees. Visit www.oticonusa.com
