Whether you’re young or old, hearing protection devices can help protect your hearing. You can wear these devices in or around your ear when in noisy situations that could lead to hearing loss. These devices protect your hearing and reduce your risk of noise-induced hearing loss.
Earplugs
One popular hearing protection device is the earplug. This device is small and tubular-shaped. It can fit into the ear canal to protect your hearing ability. You can buy these in both disposable and reusable formats. Earplugs can either be foam, custom-molded, or pre-formed to fit the ear.
The main benefit of using earplugs is that they’re small in size, which makes them portable. These hearing protection devices tend to be on the cheaper end of the scale. If you’re working in a confined or humid space, these earplugs are comfortable to wear. Plus, they won’t restrict your movement.
But, earplugs do have some drawbacks. First, they can be easier to lose due to their small size. Second, they tend to take more time to get installed. If they’re not installed the right way, they won’t offer adequate hearing protection. All earplugs don’t offer a one-size-fits-all solution. Rather, you may need to have them custom-molded to fit in your ear canal.
Earmuffs
Another alternative to protect your ears and hearing is the earmuff. These provide a super simple design that fits over the ear to block sound waves from entering. The protective ear cups connect to one another by a headband. It uses clamping force to fit over your head and ears.
The biggest advantage of using earmuffs for your hearing care is that they’re much easier to put on and take off. Instead of having to adjust them with your fingers, you only have to slide the earmuffs onto your head. This makes them ideal for working in environments with irregular noises. During this time, you’ll need to put your hearing protection on and off. Earmuffs are also produced to be a one-size-fits-all solution to hearing protection.
But, like earplugs, earmuffs have their own drawbacks. The most obvious is that they’re not great for confined spaces. You’ll likely hit the headband and mess with the position of your hearing protection. Earmuffs are much bigger than earplugs, which makes them less portable. If you work in a hot or humid area, you may find that earmuffs tend to be more uncomfortable. This is due to their headband and over-ear cups.
Contact Us Today
If you need help to protect your ears, be sure to contact our hearing care specialists today. They can help you find the right hearing protection device to fit your needs and check your hearing.
