Custom Earplugs and Hearing Protection to Prevent Damage to Your Ears
Hearing loss is irreversible, but, in many cases, it is preventable.
Exposure to loud noise without some way of protecting your ears puts you at greater risk for hearing loss, but with custom hearing protection you can continue hearing your best for as long as possible.
Among the common causes of permanent hearing loss for individuals under the age of 65 is noise induced hearing loss (NIHL), which involves frequent or ongoing exposure to sounds with an intensity level over 85 decibels (the sound of an idling bulldozer or normal conversation) for an extended period of time, or exposure to a single extreme noise event, like an explosion (210 dB+).
Thankfully, Audiology and Hearing Aid Associates provide custom earplugs and hearing protection to prevent damage to your ears and reduce your risk of developing NIHL.
How Loud Is Too Loud?
At 85 decibels (dB) of sound intensity, your ears are safe from damage for up to 8 hours without any form of protection. But as the length of time increases, your ears ability to endure sounds exceeding 85 dB without hearing protection decreases significantly, with each increase of 3 dB of intensity.
For example, it only requires four hours of exposure to 88 dB to begin to cause damage, while damage occurs after 2 hours at 91 dB, and within 1 hour of exposure at 94 dB. If your unprotected ears are exposed to sounds in excess of 110 dB for more than 90 seconds, your ears experience severe damage, but it takes only 7 seconds to do harm to your unprotected ears at intensity levels of 120 dB.
To better understand your risk of NIHL without hearing protection, it is necessary to recognize that lawn equipment, chainsaws, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and power tools have noise levels of between 90 and 105 dB, meaning that unprotected exposure for more than 20 or 30 minutes can cause damage to your hearing.
Taking things further, listening to music on headphones or earbuds at high levels (110 to 115 dB) for more than a few seconds is particularly dangerous, as are major sporting events, live concerts, or nightclubs, which often reach levels of up to 135 dB, while discharging a firearm will have an intensity level in excess of 145 dB, causing instant, permanent damage.
Stopping that damage involves the use of hearing protection while you are engaged in these various activities for enjoyment or while working.
Benefits Of Custom Hearing Protection
Custom hearing protection is a valuable part of providing your ears with the protection they need because it makes use of custom molded earplugs that conform to the unique contours of your ears.
Among the advantages of custom molded earplugs are a more secure fit, a greater level of comfort, and greater assurance that your hearing protection stays in place during whatever activity you’re involved in.
Each type of hearing protection device provides additional benefits specifically related to their use, like:
Accurate frequency response, allowing you to hear a full range of sounds, but at a reduced volume.
Venting, which involves letting sound to pass both ways, so your voice won’t reverberate inside your ears.
Precision-engineered filters provide measurable protection with clearer, more natural sound.
Medical-grade silicone construction allows you to wear them for extended periods of time without irritation or discomfort.
Replaceable sound filters allow you to select the level of sound protection you need for a variety of activities and situations.
Custom Hearing Protection Products Available from Audiology and Hearing Aid Associates
No matter whether you’re exposed to noise at work, during recreational sports, or at concerts and clubs, you risk damage to your hearing and permanent noise induced hearing loss if you leave your ears unprotected.
Your lifestyle and the activities you take part in will determine the type of hearing protection you will need to safely enjoy your various activities without damaging your hearing.
We offer a variety of hearing protection types and styles to fit the unique hearing protection requirements for each of the activities you take part in, including:
Custom molded protection for shooting and hunting
Custom ear protection for use with construction and industrial equipment
Custom ear protection while using lawn and garden tools, chainsaws, motorcycles, and snowmobiles
Custom molded earplugs for concerts and sporting events
Custom earbuds for musicians and for listening to music through your personal player
Custom molded earplugs for swimmers (to prevent “swimmer’s ear”, not related to NIHL)
We work with several manufacturers to provide the highest quality of hearing protection, including:
