Family wants to go to fireworks display tonight. I am worried about damaging my ears, as they have been hurting for a couple of months now.
Is it safe to go if earplugs are worn? It's certainly not worth permanent ear damage.
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Any loud noise can contribute to loss of hearing.
However, it is usually something loud sustained over a long period of time.
Like machinery or music.
I would wear ear plugs.
Get a good pair. They won't fall out as easily.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by massman (Member # 18116) on :
Plug 'em up.
And DO NOT have TOO MUCH FUN
Oh wait It's OK for today. Nice rhyme, huh ? Posted by sickpuppy (Member # 23846) on :
Yeah plug 'em up and try to have some fun. Maybe take a separate car or whatever so if it turns out to be too bad you can leave. Maybe you can tie a bandana/scarf around over your ears to keep the plugs in.
When I think of fireworks I worry more about people sitting in tick infested grass. Oy, lyme paranoia!
Posted by richedie (Member # 14689) on :
I agree, I went to Miracle Ear and spent $75 to have ear plugs fitted and they come with different filters that cut various decibel levels. I always wear them at concerts or when I play music with my band.
quote:Originally posted by Geneal: Any loud noise can contribute to loss of hearing.
However, it is usually something loud sustained over a long period of time.
- When on antibiotics, the decibel level is MUCH lower at which permanent auditory damage can occur. Even from one blast.
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dmc,
Thanks for posting that. I get noise damage just from a dental cleaning. Fireworks are a huge concern - for everyone's ears.
In addition to the noise factor, the smoke also has lots of chemicals and heavy metals in it.
Better to watch from a distance for many reasons. That can still be fun.
I don't think ANY ear plugs are good enough to be right at the main stage of any display. Sound also travels through the nasal passages, through all our bones. Just covering the ears - with both plugs AND dB-rated muffs - is essential but not nearly enough to protect them from fireworks explosions at close range.
Even one single bang that is too loud can permanently damage ears and, when on abx, the decibel level is MUCH lower at which permanent damage can occur.
If ears ring after exposure, damage occurred. There is no way to fix noise damage (except perhaps emergency care at that very time, and that may or may not work and often involves steroids).
Noise damage may not show up for a couple of years but then, it can progress rapidly. Tinnitus is one of the first signs of ear damage. Hyperacusis, too. Both of those are also exceedingly common with lyme.
And, remember, it's not just about hearing. Our ears affect nearly everything we do, even walking and talking. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
. . . "Fireworks can unleash a shower of toxins into soil and water, and scientists are only beginning to figure out what that means for human health," writes Russell McLendon on Mother Nature Network, an environmental website.
He cites studies showing perchlorate levels in nearby wells and waterways rose dramatically after a fireworks show.
He adds: . . . An effort to ban them in Hawaii cites their impact on human health and has the backing of the state's American Lung Association, according to the Honolulu Advertiser.
McLendon says the eco-friendliest alternative to fireworks is to avoid them completely and instead go fishing or camping.
He says other alternatives include laser light shows, which emit no dangerous chemicals, and Disneyland's use of compressed air to launch fireworks, which reduce particulates in the air and perchlorates in the water.
Why's he so concerned? Here are excerpts of his article:
In addition to gunpowder, fireworks are packed with heavy metals and other toxins that produce their sparkling shower of colors.
Like perchlorates, the exact effect of fireworks' heavy-metal fallout is still mainly a mystery, but scientists do know that the metals themselves can wreak havoc in the human body.
* Strontium (red): This soft, silvery-yellow metal turns red when it burns, is extremely reactive with both air and water, and can be radioactive. Some strontium compounds dissolve in water, and others move deep into soil and groundwater; radioactive strontium has a half-life of 29 years. While low levels of stable and radioactive strontium haven't been shown to affect human health, they both can be dangerous at high doses.
* Aluminum (white): Since aluminum is the most abundant metal in Earth's crust -- and one of humanity's most widely used -- avoiding exposure is almost impossible. Virtually all food, water, air and soil contain some amount of aluminum -- the average adult eats about 7 to 9 milligrams of the silvery-white metal every day in food. It's generally safe at these levels, but it can affect the brain and lungs at higher concentrations.
* Copper (blue): Fireworks' blue hues are produced by copper compounds. These aren't very toxic on their own, but the copper jump-starts the formation of dioxins when perchlorates in the fireworks burn....
The most noted health effect of dioxin exposure is chloracne, a severe skin disease with acne-like lesions mostly on the face and upper body. Dioxin doesn't stop there, though -- the World Health Organization has identified it as a human carcinogen, and it's also been shown to disrupt hormone production and glucose metabolism.
* Barium (green): Fish and other aquatic organisms can accumulate barium, which means it can move up the food chain. The silvery-white metal naturally bonds with other elements to form a variety of compounds that all have different effects -- none are known to be carcinogenic, but they can cause gastrointestinal problems and muscular weakness when exposure exceeds EPA drinking water standards.
* Rubidium (purple): This soft, silvery metal is one of the most abundant elements on Earth. It burns purple, melts to a liquid at 104 degrees Fahrenheit and is highly reactive with water, capable of igniting fires even far below the freezing point.
It hasn't been reported to cause any major environmental damage, but it can cause skin irritation since it's so reactive with moisture, and it's moderately toxic when ingested, reportedly able to replace calcium in bones (PDF).
* Cadmium (various): Used to produce a wide range of fireworks colors, this mineral is also a known human carcinogen. Breathing high levels of cadmium can seriously damage the lungs, and consuming it can fluster the stomach, often resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.
- (Standards Editor Brent Jones) -
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
i can't stand any loud noise and earplugs hurt my ears.
i can't even listen to people talking loudly in a restaurant anymore.
i am really sensitive.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- If one is swimming in any water (fresh or pool) for days (or longer?) after fireworks displays, all the added chemicals in the swimming water is also of concern.
Those who drink from wells, also need to take precautions but once the chemicals are in the water supply, there's not much that can really be done.
from article above: " . . . perchlorate levels in nearby wells and waterways rose dramatically after a fireworks show. " -
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
How far away will you be from the fireworks??
We'll be miles from the display we're going to watch. We'll be on top of an Ozark mountain! Hope it doesn't rain!!
Posted by jennie46 (Member # 20953) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo: How far away will you be from the fireworks??
We'll be miles from the display we're going to watch. We'll be on top of an Ozark mountain! Hope it doesn't rain!!
Very close...the fireworks are on the lake. You drive your boat to the display...it's been a tradition in our family for years.
I already have mild tinnitus...guess I better pass on fireworks this year.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Bummer... they do that here too. We will be viewing the fireworks off the lake area and near the dam from another display. Sure hope it doesn't rain.... We're supposed to get some of that "moisture" from hurricane Alex.
Sorry you have to miss the fireworks! That stinks!!
Posted by the3030club (Member # 21898) on :
Just wear earplugs. You will be fine.
Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
I always wear earplugs when I go to see fireworks. If you get a good pair of plugs..they will really help block out the noise.
Posted by 'Kete-tracker (Member # 17189) on :
Hope you got to Watch some fireworks on your widescreen (?) TV! We heard mostly the [Boston Pops] orchestra here as the skys over Boston's waterfront lit up.
Great new displays... including bright "waterfalls" of color that just "hung" there.
![[tsk]](graemlins/tsk.gif)
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It's OK for today.![[Cool]](cool.gif)