You have a higher risk of developing hearing loss if, while working or engaging in other activities, you are subjected to excessive noise levels (more than 85 dB). The said noise can significantly damage your inner ear’s sensitive hair cells. When exposed to dangerous noise levels, hearing protection should always be used.
Your ears are shielded from hazardous noise levels with hearing protection. It accomplishes this by softening the harsh noises so your hearing is not harmed. Hearing Health and Wellness Center offers customized hearing protection available in several designs that exactly fit your ears. In this manner, you can wear hearing protection all day long without experiencing any discomfort.
Types of Hearing Protection
There are various types of hearing protection, categorized as ready-made hearing protection and custom hearing protection.
Ready-made Hearing Protection
As the name suggests, ready-made hearing protection is a type of hearing protection designed to be used immediately without any need for any fitting or customization. They are typically made of silicone, foam, or other similar materials that can be inserted into the ear canal to lower the amount of noise that enters the ear.
Earplugs
Earplugs come in two varieties: disposable and custom-molded. Both will lessen the sound volume, but custom-molded earplugs are more comfortable and produce superior sound. In the long term, they are less expensive for both you and the environment. Ear plugs can be customized based on your demands and way of life.
Semi-insert earplugs
Semi-insert earplugs are designed to be partially inserted into the ear canal. They are typically made of silicone or foam. They are reusable, offering moderate to high noise reduction. They are generally easy to insert and remove, but may not accommodate all ear sizes.
Earmuffs
Earmuffs offer moderate to high noise reduction, covering the entire ear with cushioned ear cups and an adjustable headband. They are reusable and relatively easy to wear. However, earmuffs can be bulky and not recommended for extended wear.
Custom Hearing Protection
Custom hearing protection is specifically molded to fit the unique shape and anatomy of an individual’s ear. It is typically made of silicone or other soft and pliable materials, offering precise and high level noise reduction.
Custom Ear Plugs
Custom earplugs accurately fit the unique contours of the ear and offer a high level of noise reduction and hearing protection. They are typically made of silicone or some other soft material to offer maximum comfort. They are generally durable and reusable.
Impulse Filter Ear Plugs
Impulse filter ear plugs are a unique type of hearing protection that uses a small acoustic filter to effectively filter out loud noises while still allowing speech and other sounds to be heard. They provide a discreet yet comfortable hearing protection option for noisy environments.
Sleep Plugs
The quality of your nighttime sleep can be influenced by a variety of factors. If you’re a light sleeper and need to minimize noise that could disturb your sleep should be your number one priority. Specially-fitted earplugs will assist you in getting a good night’s sleep, regardless of whether the cause of the problem is loud neighbors, street noise, or a partner who snores.
In-Ear Monitors
In-ear monitors (IEMs) are commonly used by musicians and audio professionals to listen to music or other sounds in loud environments. IEMs are custom-molded to fit the ear and deliver a high level of clarity and sound isolation. They allow for highly-personalized sound mixing, hearing protection, and discretion.
SoundGear
SoundGear by Starkey offers a unique line of hearing protection products that effectively shields you from loud and damaging noises from gun shots, power tools, and industrial machines or engines. They are also designed to enhance environmental awareness.
Hearing Protection For All Lifestyles and Activities
Because hearing loss might result in health issues later in life, it is crucial to protect your hearing. It has been established that dementia and hearing loss are closely related. This happens because some parts of your brain aren’t engaged when you have poor hearing. These areas are connected to speech and memory.
HUNTING
One method of preventing noise-induced hearing damage when hunting is by using hearing protection. It would be a shame if your preference would be the bane of your hearing, right? There are various hunter’s hearing protection and noise-canceling earplugs that can pick up on regular speech and magnify it through each of the headphones on the earmuff. These earmuffs allow you to protect your ears while hunting.
MUSIC
According to studies, musicians are nearly four times as likely to experience hearing loss as the general population. This is due to the fact that musicians frequently practice their instruments and that concerts can be as loud as 110 dB, which can quickly damage hearing. In addition to risking their jobs, musicians who don’t use hearing protection face the risk of losing their ability to hear at a young age.
SWIMMING
It’s crucial to use ear protection if you spend a great deal of time in the water or swim frequently. This will guard against swimmer’s ear, eardrum ruptures, and surfer’s ear, generally keeping your ears healthy. Swimmers’ ear protection keeps a tight seal and serves as a protective barrier to help keep the ear canal moisture-free while equalizing the ears underwater.
SLEEP
The quality of your nighttime sleep can be influenced by a variety of factors. If you’re a light sleeper and need to minimize noise that could disturb your sleep should be your number one priority. Specially-fitted earplugs will assist you in getting a good night’s sleep, regardless of whether the cause of the problem is loud neighbors, street noise, or a partner who snores.
OCCUPATIONAL
Occupational hearing protection is designed to protect individuals from noise-induced hearing loss in the workplace. It is generally required by law to provide occupational hearing protection for workers who are exposed to noise levels above a certain threshold. Occupational ear protection includes earplugs, earmuffs, or custom hearing protection gear. These must provide a specific level of hearing protection depending on the level of noise exposure in the workplace.
SURF
This type of hearing protection is designed for water sports such as swimming, surfing, and diving. They are usually made of silicone and can keep water out of the ear while still allowing sounds to pass through. Surf hearing protection offers a comfortable and snug fit, preventing water from entering the ear and lowering your risk of getting ear infections or swimmer’s ear.
Types of Custom Ear Molds
Custom ear molds are commonly made from vinyl, silicone, or acrylic. Ear molds are most commonly used for custom fitting hearing aids.
Vinyl
Vinyl earmolds are soft and it is recommended for people with exceptionally soft ears, such as the elderly or young. The advantage of vinyl earmolds is that they are easy to put in and offer a stronger acoustic seal.
Silicone
Silicone is among the greatest materials for earmolds. It is adaptable and cozy, and it snugly accommodates instruments. Unlike acrylic, which can shatter or break, it is very sturdy. However, silicone can be challenging to work with and needs extra attention when adjusting its tube. This is not recommended for people with dexterity issues.
Acrylic
Acrylic is a durable material that is typically used for earmolds since it lasts a long time. Over time, it doesn’t contract, degrade, or get harder. Additionally, if something goes wrong, it is simple to change, retube, or correct. Patients appreciate how simple it is to insert, remove, and clean.
How are custom ear molds made?
Custom earmolds are created by imprinting your ear canal and the outer bowl of your ear with a material that resembles silicone. The structure of your ear will then be recreated in a laboratory using that impression.
Types of Custom Ear Plugs
Custom ear plugs are designed to fit the unique shape of an individual’s ear. There are various types of custom ear plugs available, each with their own uses and benefits..
Solid ear plugs
Solid ear plugs are the most basic type of custom ear plugs, made from a solid piece of acrylic or silicone material. They offer a high level of noise reduction and are recommended for use in heavily noisy environments such as construction sites or factories.
Vented ear plugs
Similar to solid ear plugs, vented ear plugs are made from either acrylic or silicone but they come with a small channel or vent that allows for some sound to pass through. Vented ear plugs are ideal for musicians or other professionals who need to still be able to hear their surroundings clearly while protecting their hearing.
Filtered ear plugs
Filtered ear plugs come with a small acoustic filter to minimize loud noises while still allowing speech and other vital sounds to be heard. They are usually used during concerts or sporting events.
Swim ear plugs
As the name implies, swim ear plugs are designed to keep water out of the ear while engaging in water sports and activities. They are usually made from silicone or other waterproof materials.
Sleep ear plugs
Sleep ear plugs help block out noise and help promote better sleep. These are typically made from a soft, comfortable material for extended wear.
How long do custom-made earplugs last?
If you take care of your custom-molded ear plugs, the silicone material should last around three and five years. As expected, regularly cleaned ear plugs have a longer lifespan than earplugs/earmolds that are not maintained properly.
Custom Ear Protection in Plantsville, CT
Cliche as it may sound, prevention is better than cure when it comes to hearing issues. Using the appropriate hearing protection can help protect you from experiencing hearing loss or tinnitus at a young age.
Whether you need custom hearing protection for work or leisure, Hearing Health and Wellness Center can help.
Schedule an appointment at our clinic today!