When it comes to hearing health, hearing protection or custom ear protection is considered to be an essential component. Individuals who find themselves exposed to dangerous decibels without any hearing protection are most likely to suffer from untimely hearing loss. Norfolk Audiology is committed to preserving your hearing health and preventing further damage from occurring through our various choices of custom ear protection for music, sports, work, and hobbies.
Types of Custom Ear Protection
Custom ear protection is available in a variety of medical-grade vinyl, silicone, and acrylic materials.
How does custom ear protection work?
Custom ear protection does not necessarily mean that 100% of the noise will be blocked. Depending on the type of hearing protection, there will still be a small percentage of sound that will enter your ears, which is a good thing in the line of safety (i.e. hear emergency alarms, car horns, etc.)
Through custom ear protection, air conduction is prevented due to the tight fit and seal created in the ear canal. To be more specific, custom ear protection prevent sound leakage through air conduction. However, you will still be able to hear essential sounds through bone conduction (vibrations picked up by the bones of the skull).
How Is Custom Ear Protection Made?
Custom ear protection is made by taking an impression of a person’s inner ear. The impressions are like 3D images of the inner ear, and the custom ear plugs will be patterned from the said impressions.
Since they are custom-fit, the earplugs or earmolds will fit the ears perfectly, offering an exceptionally accurate fit and a tight seal for maximum comfort and hearing protection.
Types of Hearing Protection
Generic protective earmuffs and earplugs can be purchased online or from retail stores. These include pre-molded earplugs, foam earplugs, safety earmuffs, and canal caps. However, if you intend to use more specific hearing protection, custom-made earplugs are the best choice.
Choosing the correct hearing protector best suited for your needs, lifestyle, or occupation will ensure that you will have comfortable and consistent usage. Our team at Norfolk Audiology can help you choose the most appropriate custom ear protection that can address your hearing protection needs.
When laying down custom ear protection options for our clients, we ensure that they are aware of its noise reduction rating (NRR). The higher the NRR, the more sounds are blocked. Most people prefer to use hearing protection that still allows them to communicate even in noisy listening situations so that they don’t need to remove the ear protection when someone is talking to them. The ability to still hear or participate in conversations while wearing custom ear protection is an important aspect to consider because even a few seconds of exposure to loud noises could put one at risk for hearing loss.
Consult a hearing health professional if you need help selecting hearing protection, or for information about custom-made earplugs.
Care and Maintenance of Custom Ear Protection
Custom ear protection should be regularly cleaned of dirt and cerumen after each use. We discourage using harsh chemicals, alcohol, or detergent in cleaning ear protectors because they can harden and discolor the materials. Using a soft cloth with warm water is a safer cleaning option.
Hearing Protection For All Lifestyles and Activities
Norfolk Audiology offers a wide range of custom ear protection for various lifestyles. Whether it’s for hunting, sleeping, swimming, or for industrial purposes, we can provide custom ear protection best suited for you.
Custom Ear Protection | Norfolk, NE
Getting fitted with custom ear protection means that you get the very best defense from dangerous decibel levels because of its perfect fit and materials. To enjoy optimum results, custom ear protection must be acquired through or fitted by an audiologist.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment!