Ear protection is starting to become more and more important in our daily lives. Loud noises are common no matter where you work, and they can end up permanently damaging our hearing if you’re exposed to them over a long period of time. So whether you have plans to visit a concert in the future or work full-time around loud noises such as on a construction site, here are the most common forms of hearing protection that is available to you.
Wax Balls
Wax balls completely seal your ears off from the outside world. They’re a very cheap and disposable form of hearing protection, but they can be slightly more expensive than earplugs especially over a longer period of time. As a result, you’ll want to use these only for situations where you know you won’t be needing long-term hearing protection.
A good example of using wax balls is at a loud concert, or if you’re visiting a construction site for a brief period such as going for inspections or to see a project’s process.
Molded Earplugs
These are speciality earplugs that you may need to speak to your audiologist about. They’re essentially earplugs that have been specifically molded to fit your ear. Custom hearing protection can last for many years especially if you take great care of it, but you need to understand that having them custom-made does add a lot of extra cost.
Speak to your audiologist if you’re interested in getting custom-made earplugs that fit your ears comfortably. You’ll need to think about this as a long-term investment, so only consider this if you regularly attend concerts or know that you’ll be working in a noisy environment for the foreseeable future.
Earmuffs
Earmuffs are large, comfortable and often fit the user very well. Earmuffs can often be attached to things like helmets as well, making them a great choice for most people that need simple and effective hearing protection. You won’t need to ask your audiologist about this and you can simply purchase them from a store.
Earmuffs are available in various sizes and colours, making them a very common and simple choice if you just need some hearing protection. Since they cover the ear completely, they can actually be quite warm so if you’re working in a humid or hot environment, they may not be the best solution. However, if you’re outside in the winter, then these can be an excellent choice.
Foam Earplugs
Foam earplugs are another common choice. You can often get disposable ones that last several weeks, or some that can be used in the long-term. Foam earplugs can also cause irritations if used incorrectly. For example, you may end up getting dirt on the earplugs when putting them in, and this could cause infections in your ears.
As long as you’re careful about foam earplugs, they can be a cheap and effective form of hearing protection. These are often handed out in factories and sometimes even concerts because of how cheap and accessible they are.