We've waited a long time to reach the 80 degree mark and now it's time to pack a picnic, head to the beach and throw out the blanket for some summertime fun! 

Did you know summer can be the noisiest season during the year? And, sorry to burst your summertime fun bubble, many sounds of summer can actually be harmful to your hearing and potentially cause hearing loss. Outdoor concerts, weekend warriors trimming the trees with power tools and firecrackers are a few of the summer fun activities that have the potential of causing noise-induced hearing loss.

For example outdoor concert noise levels have been measured in various studies and on average they typically produce in excess of 100 dBs. Just think what the levels are if you are rocking out in the front row near the speakers. For fireworks and firecrackers we are talking impulse noise that averages between 140-150 dB. Ouch!

So what is too much? According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's "best practices" for safe duration noise exposure, a noise of 95 dB A would only be safe to listen to for less than 1 hour.

By increasing your awareness of noise around you and wearing hearing protection, you can continue to enjoy summertime fun and protect your hearing.  To learn more about summer noise exposure and hearing loss protection devices visit: Hearing Protection Tips during Summertime Fun on HealthyHearing.com.

A recent Chicago Tribune article titled "Blackhawks anthem fuels hearing loss: When Blackhawks take ice at United Center, loud traditional anthem may sear the ear permanently" written by Julie Deardorff warned of the dangers of exposure to noise at public events like the Stanley Cup. She indicated that the dB level at the Chicago United Center was 110. The noise level at some stadiums can be even higher; in fact I have heard that the dB level at the Minneapolis football stadium reaches as high as 140 dB.

Julie is correct. But what should fans do? Participating in these events is fun and exhilarating; tens of thousands of screaming fans are part of the experience. But can you ruin your precious hearing at these events? Absolutely! According to our noise thermometer 30 minutes of exposure at 110 dB can result in permanent hearing loss while at other stadiums such as in Minneapolis 140 dB exposure can result in instant permanent hearing loss.

But there is an easy solution. Protect those precious ears and use soft foam ear plugs when attending sporting events. They give 30-35 dB protection and you will be surprised that you can actually hear your friend next to you better with ear plugs than without them. Ear plugs can be purchased at any pharmacy. My favorite are the neon soft yellow ear plugs:  NRR33 EARsoft Soft Foam ear plugs. You can get them on eBay for $13 per 100.

New research suggests that regular use of aspirin, acetaminophen and other analgesics can substantially increase the risk of hearing loss, especially in men younger than 50.

Researchers report in the American Journal of Medicine that use of acetaminophen more than twice a week by such men doubles the risk of hearing loss, use of ibuprofen and related non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk by nearly two-thirds, and regular use of aspirin increases it by about a third.

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