Custom Hearing Protection
Thirty-seven million Americans suffer hearing loss. No one is exempt from developing hearing loss, and it can affect people of all ages. Whether we are listening to our favorite song at top volume or just having to endure loud sounds at work, exposure to high levels of sound can harm our hearing. Even listening to music during your workout or daily commute with earbuds puts your hearing at risk. Regardless of your age, we all – seniors, teens, and adolescents – need to consider common hearing loss causes and learn how to preserve our hearing.
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is Preventable
The most common form of hearing loss is sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL); more than 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with this condition. SNHL is caused by cell damage within the ear. Noise-induced hearing loss is a form of SNHL.
As external sounds enter your ear, they are guided towards the cochlea or inner ear. Here, the sound waves meet tiny hair cells that convert the sound waves into electrical signals for the brain to send.
When excessively loud noises penetrate your ear, those delicate hair cells are permanently damaged. Damaged or dead hair cells never heal, and you suffer permanent hearing loss.
A recent study estimates that 58 million Americans experience loud noises every day, leading to hair cell injury, tinnitus, and permanent hearing loss.
Where do all these dangerously loud sounds come from? Researchers from The Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that the most harmful exposure occurs in noisy workplaces and recreational environments such as concert halls, sporting venues, or shooting ranges. In either case, very few people wear hearing protection.
Protect Your Hearing
Research has shown that approximately 40 percent of those exposed to harmful noise levels do not wear hearing protection. More than 60 percent do not cover their ears in a recreational environment! According to the Brigham and Women's Hospital researchers, this degree of noise exposure can have long-term hearing consequences.
The best way to protect against hearing loss is to wear hearing protection. Always wear earplugs while at work or in a loud bar or concert hall.
Not sure if you need to protect your hearing? If there is any doubt in your mind, it is likely you should wear protection. Do you have ringing ears? Do you need to yell to speak to the person next to you? If the answer is yes, it's way too loud, and your hearing will be impaired. Time to pop into the earplugs, and encourage your friends and colleagues to do likewise.
Custom-fitted Hearing Protection
Although any protection is better than nothing, the most readily available plastic earplugs from the drugstore can be painful to wear or muffle noises in a way that makes it impossible to hear the usual conversation. Many people also feel self-conscious about having standard-issue bright orange plugs in their ears, so they opt to hurt their hearing instead of being conspicuous with their protection.
That is where custom-fitted hearing protection comes in. No two ears are the same, so it makes sense that not everyone would feel comfortable about wearing the same earplugs.
Custom hearing protection is built to suit your particular ear, and it can be worn without any pain for hours. They are made of hypoallergenic silicone of medical quality and rest snuggly in your ear without any pressure or discomfort. Custom hearing protection is available in tones that fit your skin, so you can choose to be discreet or bold in your color options.
Custom ear protection comes in various designs for specific recreational activities. For example, earplugs for hunters and musicians have special filters that allow users to hear the sounds they need and block out the damaging noise.
Active vs. Passive Attenuation
Are you tired of the muffled noises produced by plastic earplugs? Ear protection with passive attenuation has filters that equally minimize all noise, so you have safe sound levels without distortion. Both loud and soft sounds are reduced equally, retaining the sound balance. This is ideal if you're working in a sector that's always busy, using power tools or heavy equipment, or attending a pounding rock concert.
Active attenuation ear protection is required for those who experience a combination of loud and soft sounds. This digital hearing protection only provides protection where appropriate. Healthy listening ranges do not activate the device, but the loudest sounds are immediately neutralized. You can speak with your colleagues and still be safe from the unexpected blast of loud sounds.
Do what's best for your ears and your hearing health! Invest in custom-fitted protection and safeguard your hearing for years to come. Visit us for a custom ear protection fitting at the Coastal Hearing Clinic, and explore other ways to keep your hearing healthy.