Many people are aware of some of the services that audiologists provide including evaluations for hearing, tinnitus, auditory processing disorders, and dizziness/balance. Did you know audiologists are also concerned with prevention of these concerns?
One possible cause of hearing loss and tinnitus is hazardous noise exposure. Noise exposure can occur with exposures to loud noises such as firearms, concerts/music, machinery, power tools, and motorcycle use. Therefore it is so important to use proper hearing protection.
There are many different types of hearing protection including one size fits most and custom hearing protection, in the ear and over the ear, and hearing protection designed for different purposes. I often see individuals surprised when I tell them hearing protection can be custom made, especially when the over-the-counter options just do not seem to fit well.
For audiology awareness month, I would like to share some different types of custom hearing protection that can be made.
- The solid plug: this is a solid ear plug for regular noise exposures. It is very important for individuals who work or spend a significant amount of time around noise such as machinery or tools. It may also benefit individuals who use firearms. As it would be custom made, it typically has a more secure fit in the ear compared to over-the-counter or one-size fits most options. Did you know that depending on the purpose of the hearing protection, a filter can also be added to help with being able to hear parts of speech while still protecting against hazardous noise?
- Musician plug: As the name may suggest, this type of plug is great for musicians, but also for those who enjoy music. For anyone who has attended a louder concert, you may have experienced a temporary decline in hearing accompanied by possible ringing in the ears that lasted for hours or days. These temporary changes were likely caused by the overall loudness of the concert. I often hear that individuals do not want to wear hearing protection at concerts or while producing music because it impacts the sound of the music, this is where the musicians plug shines! Musician plugs have a filter that decreases the overall loudness of music/sound without impacting the musical fidelity. In my experience, musician plugs make concerts even more enjoyable.
- The sleep plug: These plugs are typically designed to be much smaller and only fit into the ear canal in order to be comfortable with sleeping. Some individuals are sensitive to sounds in the night and/or may have a partner with a snoring tendency. This is where a sleep plug can help with reducing overall sounds, to assist the wearer in getting some much needed rest.
- Electronic hearing protection: Hearing protection made for the firearm user and/or hunter in mind. Electronic hearing protection has microphones and electronics on board so the user can hear the softer sounds around them including voices. However, when a significantly louder noise comes in, such as gunfire, the microphones shut off and reduce the overall level of the noise. This type of hearing protection is beneficial for those with normal hearing and may even benefit those with a mild to moderate hearing loss for their communication while in these risky environments.
While hearing protection is very important with loud noises, it should be used properly. If you have concerns about hearing protection use, or if you would like to discuss the right hearing protection for you, make an appointment with your audiologist as we dive into audiology awareness month!
