Have you been told during your latest hearing health check to use hearing protection? We have seen a lot of people who can get confused between hearing aids and hearing protection. So, we’d like to seize the opportunity to clarify things. These are not the same things. Hearing aids are devices designed to amplify sounds to bring the appropriate correction for your level of hearing loss. On the other hand, hearing protection items are specifically built to prevent damaging your ears. They can offer protection against exposure to loud sounds and also extreme pressure variations. Wearing hearing aids doesn’t prevent you from using hearing protection. Similarly, you don’t need to have hearing loss to protect your hearing in the first place. We’ve asked our hearing instrument specialist (HIS) team to address the most frequently asked questions about protecting your hearing and choosing the right solution for your situation and comfort.

Why Do I Need Hearing Protection?

This is the first question people ask. To understand why you need hearing protection, it’s necessary to appreciate how your hearing system works. The ear transmits the sound waves to the brain, which then interprets the sounds. To do so, the waves enter from the outer ear and travel through the ear canal using hair cells to the eardrum. The eardrum emits vibrations that are passed on to the bones inside the middle ear before reaching the cochlea. The sound is then received and analyzed by the brain. However, exposure to loud environments can damage your ear health, affecting the hair cells. When hair cells are damaged, they cannot transmit the sound waves effectively. In the U.S., nearly 26 million individuals experience hearing loss because of overexposure to loud environments.

Who Is Most Likely to Need Hearing Protection?

We recommend hearing protection to individuals exposed to loud noises, either as part of their professional activities or during their hobbies. For comparison, a normal conversation reaches approximately 60dB. Prolonged exposure to any sound 85dB or higher can be harmful to your ears. A lot of people may not realize they need hearing protection because they have no reference of loudness. Individuals who are exposed to noises over 85dB should use hearing protection. This includes concertgoers and staff, construction and manufacturing teams, airport and police teams and enthusiastic DIYers.

Are All Hearing Protection Products the Same?

Hearing protection items can offer different levels of protection depending on your needs. A HIS will consider the level of loudness you are exposed to and your comfort requirements to suggest the appropriate solution. Your hearing health also plays a crucial role in the choice of protection. If you already have hearing loss, your HIS will take this into consideration in their suggestions. Not all hearing protection solutions offer the same level of noise reduction. Therefore, you may need more than one type of protection depending on your lifestyle and work environment. Some protection is also mandatory in specific workplace environments and may already be provided by your employer.

What Are the Different Hearing Protection Solutions?

The most common hearing protection types available are the following:

  • Earplugs
  • Ear defenders or earmuffs
  • Helmet-mounted earmuffs
  • Noise-canceling headphones

Earplugs offer a noise reduction rating (NRR) between 22db and 33db. Earmuffs also have a similar result. However, you can combine both for additional hearing protection. Noise-canceling headphones also have the same NRR as earplugs. However, they use active noise-canceling techniques to cancel sounds at certain frequencies.

When Should I Replace Hearing Protection?

If you are using hearing protection already, you need to stick to a hygiene routine to preserve your ear health. Indeed, hearing protection products have a limited lifetime off the shelf. Disposable earplugs should only be used once. They need to be discarded every day after use. Earplugs made from durable material such as plastic need to be replaced when they show signs of wear and tear and are no longer pliable. They last approximately three to four months in extreme climate and humidity and up to eight months with normal wear and conditions. Earmuffs and headphones need replacement when the ear cushion degrade and can’t provide a high level of protection anymore.

How to Maintain Hearing Protection?

We strongly recommend cleaning hearing protection frequently. Remove skin oil and dirt from your protective solution regularly. Keep your hearing protection in a case to prevent contamination or damage. Get in touch for dedicated advice about hearing protection to preserve your hearing health with our HIS team at The Hearing Guy call us today at (828) 333-5781.