One of the easiest ways to prevent hearing loss is by wearing ear protection. Effectively, ear protection products help limit the amount of noise your ears meet. With the right product, you can prevent exposure to loud sounds and keep your hearing intact. 

How do you find the best ear protection? Well, you have lots of options, so here are a few tips to consider: 

Consider your requirements

Different people have different requirements from their ear protection products. Will you need ear protection almost every day, or are you looking for something as a one-off? These requirements matter as they help you choose something more cost-effective and suitable for your needs. 

For example, if you’re a musician who needs regular ear protection, then it makes sense to get some custom products developed that you can re-use. On the other hand, if you need ear protection because you’re attending a concert, then you can make do with some disposable ones. If you need ear protection for your job, then you may also need extra features to help you conduct your work safely. Some ear protection has microphones that let you speak to other people around you. Is a feature like this essential for everyone? No, it depends on your needs!

Look at the noise reduction rating

The noise reduction rating (NRR) is a measurement that shows how good an ear protection device is at lowering sound exposure. As a rule, audiologists agree that we shouldn’t be exposed to above 85 decibels of sound for more than a few hours. So, any sounds above this level are deemed to be dangerous. 

By looking at the NRR, you can see how effective ear protection is for your specific requirements. The NRR must lower the decibels to below the 85-dB marker. For example, some power tools are 90 dB, so you need an NRR of five or more. It’s a good idea to research the decibel levels of specific sounds to figure out what type of protection you require. 

Visit an audiologist

As well as these two considerations, it helps to visit an audiologist to find the best ear protection. Why? Because an audiologist can assess your needs and provide options depending on your lifestyle. They listen to what you do, what you need the ear protection for, and how often you require it. From here, they can show you which devices suit you better than others. 

Not only that, but an audiologist can provide you with custom ear protection as well. They help develop devices based on molds that are created after taking impressions of your ears. This gives far more accurate measurements, allowing you to buy ear protection that’s made to fit your ears. In turn, they will be more comfortable, easier to wear and can also be far more effective. 

Ear protection is proven to help prevent noise-induced hearing loss. So, you should select the perfect pair for your ears. Consider these three tips if you want to own ear protection devices that will work.