3 Types of Ear Protection

If you are worried about exposure to loud noises, you might have decided to speak to your audiologist. They probably recommended that you use some form of ear protection. Ear protection is the only way to avoid exposure to loud noises that could damage your hearing, short of simply avoiding the cause of the loud noises. For many of us, this isn’t possible as that loud noise is part of our career or our personal life. In cases like this, ear protection is the only solution and there are three possible forms to consider.

Earmuffs

Earmuffs are typically used for work related activities, aside from those within the music industry. An earmuff is a fairly common device with a hard outer shell and a foamy inside. The hard outer shell provides a strong protection against loud noises, while the foam inside attenuates noise. It does this by creating air pockets that trap significant portion of the noise. Earmuffs are often used by people who need to be able to hear properly while wearing them. For instance, workers take off the devices when they need to hear once heavy machinery is stopped. As such, they are not best suited for personal. If your work does require you to be around loud noises, you will typically find that your employer will provide you with earmuffs.

While earmuffs can be effective this will only be the case if there is no gap between the muffs and the ear. Gaps let air in and therefore noise that can damage the hairs of the ears.

Earplugs

Earplugs are one of the most effective forms of ear protection, particularly if they are custom made. With earplugs, the canal is completely blocked which protects the hearing from dangerously loud noises. They are typically made of foam or moulded material and may have a protective covering. These earplugs are suitable for both personal use and in the work environment.

To get the most from earplugs you should ask an audiologist about custom protection. With custom protection, you can make sure that the ear plugs are comfortable and also that they are providing the best form of defence against loud noises. These earplugs can be highly durable or they may be cheap and disposable. Cheap and disposable earplugs can be found at virtually every pharmacy across the country. In contrast, you can buy durable long lasting custom earplugs from a specialist.

Semi earplugs

Semi earplugs fit partially into your ear canal and partially outside it. They fit on your ears with a band to hold them in place. Unlike earplugs, many people will find that these devices aren’t effective at all. This is due to the fact that they do not provide the complete covering necessary to protect the ears from loud noises. As well as this, some people have ear canals that are different shapes and therefore these plugs will not fit correctly, allowing both air and noise inside the ear.

We hope you find this information helpful when choosing your own form of ear protection.