How To Know What Kind Of Hearing Protection To Use

Your hearing is precious and doing everything that you can to protect it is vital. Unfortunately, there are many situations in life that can put your hearing at risk. Being exposed to loud noises, such as attending a concert where the musicians have turned up the volume as high as it could go, is one example. Being in this situation can leave your ears ringing and feeling echoey for days afterward.

You may find that your hearing ability is reduced for a while and that sounds appear muffled. But, within a couple of days, your hearing should return to normal. While this may not be a regular event, it is essential to be aware that even one-off exposures to excessive noise can have an impact on your hearing in the long term.

If you are continually exposed to loud noises, the risk of hearing problems developing is significantly increased. Working in an industry where you are surrounded by lots of noise throughout most of the day can put your hearing at high risk of decline.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common reasons for employee absenteeism in the United States. But knowing how best to protect your hearing health when you are at work can be challenging. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is encouraging employers to take action to reduce noise levels at work. But, in the meantime, you need to ensure that your ears are protected from damage.

The workplace is not the only environment where you may need hearing protection. Some leisure activities can also potentially impact your hearing, too. With so many different brands and styles of ear defenders and hearing protection products available, you may be wondering how to choose. Here, we will explain the different types of hearing protection and what to consider when you try to select the right one for your needs.

Earmuffs

Earmuff hearing protectors help to protect your ears from noise-related damage. Earmuffs cover your outer ear to help provide protection, and there are many different models to choose from. If you are in an extremely noisy environment, you may want to purchase earmuffs that have larger ear pads that are filled with stuffing. This style of earmuff should help to provide further protection for your ears.

For the earmuffs to successfully reduce noise levels, you need to be sure that they fit you correctly. Sometimes, eyeglass wearers find that the earmuffs cause uncomfortable pressure on the arms of their glasses. While users with beards and sideburns may find that their facial hair prevents the earmuffs from fitting flush around their ears. If the earmuffs do not fit well, this can reduce the effectiveness of the hearing protection.

Expandable Foam Plugs

Another hearing protection item to consider wearing is expandable foam plugs. If you feel that earmuffs will not be comfortable for you, then expandable foam plugs could be a better option. Expandable foam plugs can be rolled and shaped to fit your ear. Having hearing protection that fits into your ear canal like this may be your preferred option. If you have small ears, sometimes expandable foam plugs can be too large for the ear canal, making it impossible for you to wear them comfortably.

Pre-Molded Plugs

Pre-molded plugs help to protect your hearing by being positioned in the ear canal. Ensuring that your pre-molded plugs fit you comfortably is vital. These hearing protectors should feel comfortable to wear in the ear canal and should form a seal to block out excessively loud noise. Finding the perfect fit for your pre-molded plugs may require a trial-and-error approach. But it will be worth it once you have found the ideal fit to protect your hearing.

Protect Your Hearing Today with Help from Your Audiologist

If you are unsure how to best protect your hearing, talk to your audiologist. Here at Hinderliter Hearing Services, we pride ourselves on helping you to take the best care of your hearing.

Scheduling regular hearing tests will help us to form a baseline of your current hearing ability. Regular hearing checks will ensure that we spot any decline in your hearing fast, enabling us to take action to prevent it from worsening. We can also help by advising you on hearing protection to ensure you preserve your ability to hear.

Contact our friendly team today to schedule your consultation and let us help you to take the best care of your hearing. Call us today at 248-430-8425.