In many of our blogs, we have discussed the need for adequate hearing protection. For some occupations, ear plugs are essential to protect the hearing. But are the ear plugs you find in the drug store adequate? It depends.

CherylTanita2013

 

By Cheryl Tanita, Au.D., CCC-A

In many of our blogs, we have discussed the need for adequate hearing protection. For some occupations–such as professional musicians, machinists, military personnel and those in noisy sports such as auto racing—ear plugs are essential to protect the hearing. We also see a lot of ear infections and cases of Surfer’s Ear in people who spend time in the ocean off Southern California. But are the ear plugs you find in the drug store adequate?

It depends. For casual or occasional use, those ear plugs are better than no protection at all. But there are many different kinds of ear plugs for noise and moisture protection. The drug store variety are not as reliable as custom plugs, and most are intended to be disposable.  What do custom ear plugs offer that off-the-shelf ear plugs do not?

Custom ear plugs offer reliable sound attenuation as measured by a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). The NRR tells you how many decibels you can expect the products to reduce noise when you are wearing the product correctly. For instance, a concert may reach a sound level of  120 decibels. Ear plugs with a NRR of 30 dB will lower the sound level entering your ear to 90 decibels. Other enhancements include the materials used—often acrylic or silicone compounds—and the precision that only comes with a custom-fit earpiece. Hearing protection products are molded from an impression taken directly from your ear. Because your ears are unique, just like your fingerprints, only custom-made hearing protection can provide perfect fit, and repeatable effectiveness. And many of these products are designed to filter out loud noises and admit quieter sounds.

A broad array of custom earplugs are available including:

  • Musician Plugs
  • Hunter plugs (these are broken down to specific hunting habits and can be coupled with amplification when the attenuation is not active).
  • Swim plugs
  • Sleep plugs
  • Custom earphone buds
  • Surfer plugs

If you feel you need hearing protection, Shohet Ear Associates can help. To make an appointment with an audiologist who can help you find the right custom product for you, click here.