The Vuvuzela

The vuvuzela was catapulted in the conscious of the world following the recent World Cup in South Africa. This simple plastic horn averages at around 65 cm long produces a single monotone note and looks more like a children's toy than a dangerous tool. So no-one could have been more shocked than the South Africans when the traditional mouth organ became such a World Cup talking piece. The traditional South African horn - which is a common fixture at football matches in South Africa - caused weeks of debate due to its very loud sound. An average vuvuzela produces sounds of 113 decibels from 2 meters away which is almost as loud as being 50 meters away from a jet plane taking off.

The extreme noise levels of the vuvuzela are high enough to be credited with causing noise related hearing loss. It is recommended that we are not exposed to decibels of 100 for more than 15 minutes a day. With the vuvuzela potentially reaching 113 decibels, and with the a football match lasting at least 90 minutes, it is understandable why the very noisy instruments were a cause for concern. Fifa made the decision not to ban the vuvuzelas from football matches. So those with concerns for their hearing would have had to look to other methods of protection.

Ear plugs are the obvious and most effective answer when thinking how to combat loud noises such as that made by the vuvuzela. They work by reducing the amount of decibels that are able to reach the ear canal. A wide variety of ear plugs are available ranging from disposable or reusable to custom made ones. Ear plugs are also available for a variety of purposes, there are ones that will block out all sounds. There are also filtered plugs which allow users to still hear speech in noisy environments. Plugs like these would have been extremely useful for anyone working at the football stadiums during the World Cup and should have been made available for free to all fans after Fifa made the decision not to ban the vuvuzela.

If you frequently find yourself in a situation that you think may be damaging to your hearing, it is important that you look into acquiring some form of ear protection. Generally hearing aid providers offer a wide range of hearing protection with slight variants depending your personal requirements. Quality audiologists are always on hand to offer advice and support to anyone concerned about their hearing safety.