By Jennifer Groth, M.A.
Hearing conservation and recreational noise exposure are topics that go hand-in-hand. Enthusiasts of noisy recreational activities, such as musical performance or hunting, recognize that hearing is an integral part of their pastime that needs to be guarded and maintained. Specialty shops for musical instruments, sporting goods or motorcycle dealerships often host workshop events through which audiologists can promote hearing conservation. These events are a powerful tool to generate appointments for audiological evaluations and sales of a variety of hearing protection devices. While the goal of these workshops is educational, they must also be approachable and entertaining. Multi-media tools to make these workshops more enticing to participants are available online through organizations such as the American Academy of Audiology, or from hearing aid and audiological equipment manufacturers.