3 Forms of Ear Protection

If you work in a busy or loud environment then you may be surprised to learn that you could be pushing the limit of what is considered damaging to your hearing. It doesn’t take much to start exposing your ears to noise levels that could permanently affect your hearing, which is why it’s important to speak with a hearing specialist to discuss what your options are, your lifestyle choices and how you can protect your hearing. In this article, we’ll be discussing three different forms of hearing protection that your hearing health professional will provide.

Cheap disposable earplugs

These are made to be used and thrown away once they attract too much dust or earwax. They’re inexpensive, come in various sizes and can be bought in large quantities. While they can be used comfortably, they can cause potential earwax impacting because if you leave them in too long or push them in too far, they could start pushing your earwax out or blocking your earwax from naturally falling out. As the name suggests, you’ll want to dispose of these as soon as you’re done with them. Try not to reuse them or clean them because they’re not designed in that way. Disposable earplugs are designed to help block loud noises temporarily and then be thrown away.

Large earmuffs

Although large and bulky, large earmuffs are great for blocking out sound without the need to place anything inside of your ear itself. They’re big, much easier to take off than earplugs and are fantastic at blocking out the noise. Since you’re not putting anything in your ear canal, it also prevents irritation that can make typical earplugs uncomfortable (especially disposable ones). However, their large size can make them inconvenient to carry around and the level of hearing protection they provide can change depending on the materials used and also the quality of the earmuffs.

Customized earplugs

Custom-made earplugs usually provide the best fit. They’re discreet, comfortable and are made with higher-quality materials, meaning that you can reuse them over and over again with a bit of cleaning. They last long, they’re great value for money and they’re much friendly for your budget if you need to use hearing protection on a regular basis. However, much like regular disposable earplugs, they may still cause irritation and low-quality custom earplugs still have a chance of blocking your earwax. These are the three most basic forms of ear protection that you can use to save your hearing from future damage. Makes sure you speak with your hearing health provider to discuss further options or if your line of work or hobbies could potentially damage your hearing. Remember that it doesn’t take much to start affecting your ability to hear and something as common as operating a lawnmower without hearing protection could deteriorate your hearing ability.