Custom Earmolds and Earplugs for Better Hearing Health
You can’t reverse hearing loss, but you can prevent it. Protecting your ears with custom earmolds and earplugs gives you a head start on preventing the damage that leads to significant hearing challenges later on.
Next to age deterioration, ongoing exposure to loud noise, or noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), is one of the most common causes of permanent hearing loss, especially in adults under the age of 70.
Audiological Services can probably help fix your hearing after it’s been damaged, but we would rather help you prevent the damage and ensure that you and our friends and neighbors in Lufkin and its nearby communities are able to enjoy a lifetime of good hearing.
In addition to educating you about how to protect your ears, we also have custom earmolds and earplugs to provide the level of protection you need to prevent damage to your ears without interrupting your lifestyle and quality of life.
Sound is measured in decibels (dB), with 0 representing complete silence, while sounds 10 times louder than total silence measure 10 dB, and sounds 100 times louder than silence are recorded at 20 dB.
Ongoing exposure to sounds below 85 dB will not damage your hearing, but sounds 85 dB and above can cause damage without ear protection. The amount of damage depends on the length of time you’re exposed, which increases as the sound levels increase.
At 85 dB, you can be exposed for up to 8 hours without causing damage, but damage occurs with half the exposure time with each increase of 3 dB of sound intensity, so at 88 dB, you can only be exposed for 4 hours. While exposure to lawnmowers, chainsaws, motorcycles, jet-skis, etc. (up to 110 dB) for more than a few minutes can lead to hearing damage, it only takes 7 seconds to experience damage from intensity levels in excess of 120 dB (siren on an ambulance or police car) when your ears are unprotected.
The problem becomes more serious when you’re exposed to loud music through headphones (110 dB to 115 dB) for just five minutes, and live concerts and major sporting events often exceed sound levels of 135 dB. Taking things a bit further, discharging a firearm can reach levels in excess of 145 dB causing instant, permanent damage without proper hearing protection.
The most popular styles of earmolds are full-shell and half-shell. Full-shell earmolds are generally for high-level noise exposure, while half-shell earmolds are for mid-level noise exposure.
Some earmolds come with a filtered attenuator, allowing for verbal communication while still protecting hearing, which is popular with musicians. These types of earmolds come in both electronic and non-electronic models. Earmolds are also popular for fitting over certain earbud headphones, under pilot boom-mic headsets, and other specialty uses.
As the name implies, custom earmolds are made custom to fit the unique contour of your ear. If you cannot get a comfortable or secure fit with traditional earplugs, custom earmolds may be for you. They offer some of the best hearing protection available.
Earplugs are hearing protection that are usually for the canal only. Some earplugs are solid, while others allow for more sound to pass through. Specialized earplugs are available for musicians and medical professionals who still want the ability to hear most of their surroundings while protecting their hearing.
Specialty earplugs can be custom fit for your ear canal and are usually more comfortable than traditional earplugs. Custom earplugs come both with or without handles or detachable cords.
Earmolds and earplugs are not just for those who wish to protect themselves from high noise levels. Custom solutions are also available for other types of ear protection, such as custom ear plugs for swimmers.
Benefits of Custom Earmolds and Earplugs
Custom earmolds and earplugs are the best way to protect your ears from NIHL. With custom hearing protection, each specific type of hearing protection device provides varying levels of benefits specifically related to their use, such as:
- A secure fit so it stays in place when you’re active.
- Accurate frequency response with a full range of sounds at a reduced volume.
- Vented to allow sound to pass both ways to prevent reverberation inside of your ears.
- Precision-engineered filters for specific, measurable protection and more natural sound.
- The use of medical-grade silicone, which allows for extended wearing without discomfort.
- Replaceable sound filters, which allow you to select the level of sound protection you need for each situation.
Each ear is unique, so a custom fit solution not only provides better protection, but it also ensures that you use them because they are more comfortable.
Find Out More About Our Custom Earmolds and Earplugs
Whatever your unique lifestyle, whether you work in a high-noise environment, enjoy recreational activities that expose you to loud noise, or your ears are regularly immersed in water (swimming/diving), protecting your ears is essential to the future of your hearing.
Audiological Services can help keep you hearing better and with greater comfort with customized earmolds and earplugs to help protect your ears from damage.
Submit the adjacent form to find out how our comfortable, effective hearing protection can help safeguard your hearing while enhancing your auditory experience.
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