Hearing Protection for Everyone!

There are many types of hearing protection on the market. But with all the advice, hearsay, advertisements, brands, and materials out there, it’s not always easy to make the right choices.

Thankfully, hearing health professionals are there to help you choose the right hearing protection for your needs.

Here are some solutions to consider to protect your precious ears !

There are two types of custom earmolds: filtered and unfiltered. They’re suitable for different needs.

If a worker needs to protect their ears but also must have conversations and stay alert to the noises around (for example, a foreman walking through a site), custom earmolds with filters are the best option. Filters are placed in small holes inserted in the ear canal part of the earmold. They allow you to understand some speech while still reducing the noise around you.

However, for a worker in a noisy environment and who wants to block out as much sound as possible, custom earmolds without filters may be a better choice. They block sounds better since they don’t have openings.

Custom earmolds can be made with a cord to help you remove them safely and keep them around your neck when you’re not using them.

For musicians, there are different types of filters inserted in the custom earmolds depending on the number of decibels that needs to be blocked (9 dB, 15 dB, or 25 dB). The instrument played is an important factor in the choice; after all, a cello player in a string quartet will usually have very different needs than a drummer in a heavy metal band. Musician’s earmolds allow them to keep playing normally, since the sound is reduced equally on all frequencies.

There are also custom earmolds designed specifically for swimming. They’re made of a buoyant material, so they don’t get lost in the water (if taken out while listening to instructions). This type of earmold is highly recommended for children who are prone to external otitis (swimmer’s ear) or have benefited from transtympanic tube placement, or for people who have eardrum perforation. The custom mold creates an excellent seal. These earmolds are available in a variety of colours.

These earmolds are made from an impression of the external auditory canal to customize them and make sure they’re as comfortable and effective as possible. When the audioprosthetist or specialized educator hands them over, they’ll explain how to insert them and how to clean them before and after each use.

Custom earmolds differ in many ways from the foam, wax, or silicone earplugs you see at the pharmacy. As mentioned earlier, custom earmolds provide a much better seal and greater protection, since they block sounds better. Over-the-counter earplugs need to be shaped with the fingers before each use to fit the shape of the ear. This constant handling causes dirt to collect on the plugs, and that dirt then gets pushed into the ear. In addition, pushing the plug into the ear every time it is inserted could, over time, cause wax to be pushed back into the ear canal and create a blockage.

Earmuffs are good for short-term use, especially in situations where the noise isn’t consistent (like when you’re starting up a table saw). They allow you to take them off and hang them around your neck as needed.

Earmuffs are usually adjustable and certain models can be used to help protect children’s hearing in loud environments, like at concerts. Many schools also provide them for students who have trouble concentrating during exams. Since they cover the entire ear, they effectively block out surrounding noise.

Earmuffs are available in the online store a boutique.lobe.ca/en

Talk to your audioprosthetist or specialized educator to learn more about your options for protecting your hearing.