One Day
Without Sound

Our hearing is precious. It connects us with friends and family. It enhances our life and learning experiences, both as children and adults. It can be essential for school and the workplace. Hearing loss has been directly linked to delays in communication development in children and may impede academic achievement. It also has been linked to social isolation, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and even reduced earning power.

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Taking one day to recognize how difficult it can be to have a hearing impairment gives us a chance to consider ways we take care of our hearing throughout the year, in all types of potentially harmful listening situations.

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This opportunity is available to all who wish to remove sound from their life on May 31, in recognition of Better Hearing & Speech Month. To receive a free pair of noise-reduction earplugs, please enter your information into all required fields on the signup page here.

The ear plugs will reduce the level of noise you hear, but will not eliminate sound completely. Wear them when you can on May 31st for One Day Without Sound to raise your awareness of the sounds around you. Take note of how your hearing connects you to your work, your family, and your environment. Take pictures and post on social media of your #ONEDAYWITHOUTSOUND experience.

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While these ear plugs are disposable, you can reuse them. Keep your ear plugs in a place where you can easily retrieve them if you’ll be exposed to excessive noise levels. Typical situations include attending concerts, using power tools or outdoor machinery, watching fireworks, and hunting or shooting. Protecting and conserving the hearing you have now should be a way of life, not just an exercise for one day!

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Your noise-reduction ear plugs, will fit most ears. They compress while you insert them into your ear canal and then expand when you release them. The ear plugs are rated to reduce up to 25 decibels of sound, if inserted properly, and may be used once or multiple times. Keep in mind that the ear plugs will not completely block out sound. For directions on inserting and removing your ear plugs, please see the visual description on the ear plug packaging, or watch this short video guide.

Yes, when used as directed. Noise-reduction ear plugs will fit most ears, but may not fit some smaller ears.

It may not be practical or appropriate to eliminate every sound from your life for the entire day. However, you may wish to recognize One Day Without Sound by removing nonessential sounds. You can do this by turning off your radio and TV or eliminating unnecessary phone conversations. Encourage quiet activities, such as reading, at home during the evening. The goal is to understand what people who have hearing loss feel and experience each day of their lives.

Yes! Your local Miracle-Ear Center can fit you with custom-made hearing protection, as well as swimmer’s ear plugs, musician’s ear plugs and hearing aids if you have a hearing loss. To find a location close to you, visit miracle-ear.com.

Hearing losses can be diagnosed by an ear, nose and throat physician (ENT), an audiologist or a hearing instrument specialist. If you think you may have a hearing loss, make an appointment at your local Miracle-Ear store for a free hearing exam.

The inner ear contains microscopic hair cells that respond to mechanical sound vibrations received by the ear and then send electrical signals to the auditory nerve. Excessive noise can damage these hair cells, and if enough hair cells are damaged, hearing loss results. Unfortunately, hearing loss caused by noise is usually permanent.

Our society has become increasingly noisy. Consequently, noise-induced hearing loss affects people of all ages, at work, at home and at play. High-risk situations include hunting and target shooting, attending rock concerts, mowing the lawn, riding ATVs and working in close proximity to industrial or farm equipment. Dangerous Decibels estimates that 30 million Americans are exposed to potentially harmful sounds at work.

The good news is, noise-induced hearing loss is preventable. Here are a few recommended noise-avoidance tactics:

• Turn down the volume on stereos and other electronics
• Limit your time with, or walk away from, unsafe sound levels
• If this isn’t possible, wear earplugs or other hearing protection devices
• Safeguard the hearing of children who are too young to know better

An extremely loud sound, such as a gunshot or fireworks, can result in an immediate, and sometimes permanent, loss of hearing. More often, however, noise-induced hearing loss happens in small increments over time — so gradually, you may not even be aware of it. Signs and symptoms of hearing loss include frequently asking people to repeat themselves; missing certain words or parts of words; turning up the TV or radio too loud for others; and difficulty hearing the voices of women or young children. Exposure to loud noises may also cause tinnitus, commonly referred to as “ringing in the ears”.

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