Do’s and Don’ts When Selecting Ear Protection

Protecting your ears is fundamental to your overall health, regardless of whether you have hearing loss or not! Your ears are delicate organs that are subjected to a lot of noise throughout your life; you need to ensure that you are protecting them adequately so that you don’t incur any damage. Most hearing loss is lifelong, so prevention is the best course of action, rather than reaction. However, this post will be helpful even if you already have hearing loss – protecting your ears is something absolutely everyone should do at all stages of their life! In this post you will find handy tips on how to select the right kind of ear protection, as well as when you should be paying the most attention to protecting your ears.

Who Needs to Wear Ear Protection?

Everybody! Ear protection, such as earplugs or ear defenders, is crucial for everyone who is exposed to loud noises on a regular basis. Your ears deserve proper care and attention, so don’t think you’re exempt from needing great ear protection in your life!

When Should You Wear Ear Protection?

Most people aren’t quite sure when they should be wearing ear protection. It is recommended that anyone who is exposed to sounds above 85dB should be wearing ear protection. Here are five common scenarios in which you should be wearing ear protection.

At Live Music Events

If you love live music and can’t wait to get back into your next gig after the pandemic, you need to consider investing in good earplugs or ear protectors. Ever noticed that all musicians at a live music event are wearing wired earplugs? That means you should be, too. The huge speakers you find in live music venues can cause short term hearing loss – and if you attend these events regularly, short-term can quickly turn to long-term.

On Construction Sites

If you work on a construction site you probably already wear ear protection – or if you don’t, you definitely should be! However, if your home is being renovated or you visit construction sites regularly for your job, you need to wear ear protection to ensure your eardrums don’t become damaged as a result of excessive noise.

If You Are Recording Music or Playing Music on a Regular Basis

If you are a music lover who enjoys playing instruments, not just listening to music, you should invest in high quality ear protection for when you are playing music.

When Mowing Your Lawn

Mowing your lawn is a casual Sunday activity, but it actually exposes your ears to serious noise levels! Make sure to wear ear protection when you are cutting the grass!

When Surfing

Believe it or not, surfing exposes your ears to high levels of noise – so most professional surfers wear ear plugs, and you should too.

The Do’s of Selecting Ear Protection

What ear protection should you choose, and how should you take care of it? That’s what you will find out in this next section! Do:

• Invest in custom-molded earplugs: These earplugs have memory technology that shapes the earplug to the precise size and shape of your ear. This means that no excess noise will get past these awesome earplugs – and will give your ears more protection than regular drugstore earplugs.
• Ask your audiologist which ear protection will suit your activity level and hearing health: You should always consult your audiologist about ear protection, especially if you need high level protection on a regular basis or you experience hearing loss and want to protect against further hearing loss.
• Choose industry-specific ear protection: If you are working on or near a construction site, for example, you should choose ear defenders that will provide more comprehensive protection than standard earplugs. This is just one example of how you can protect your ears through industry-specific ear protection!

Don’t:

• Choose cheap alternatives over your ear health: Cheaper alternatives are tempting because they save you money, but in the long run, your ears might not be properly protected!
• Ignore the advice of your audiologist: Your audiologist is an expert in hearing health, so their advice should be carefully considered in all cases! Don’t ignore an audiologist’s advice because you might not like what they are saying!

Your hearing health is worth protecting; make sure you use this guide to help you select the right ear protection for you. Need advice about ear protection? Speak to an audiologist at the Hearing Wellness Centre on (844) 663-9433 today!