Keep Ears Safe with Custom Hearing Protection

Have your heard loud music at a concert? Maybe you have attended a loud sporting event where you had to shout to be heard? Do you work around machinery or heavy equipment? Maybe you are a hunting enthusiast? Our lives are becoming busier all the time, and with the increase in activity comes an increase in noise exposure. Noise surrounds us in everything we do. Some noises are quiet, and we rarely notice them, while other noises are loud, bothersome, and can cause irreversible damage to our hearing.

The cultures and settings in Arkansas are some that lend themselves to loud noise exposure: agriculture and farming equipment, boating, hunting and recreational shooting, listening to loud music, motorcycle riding, and the use of power tools whether it be through occupation or recreation. Unprotected exposure to these loud sounds over time, and sometimes immediately, lead to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).

NIHL is the only preventable type of hearing loss, and it’s important to do everything we can to prevent it because once we have a hearing loss caused by noise, it is permanent, and there are currently no therapies that restore natural hearing.

The most effective way of preventing NIHL is to limit our exposure to loud noises or to remove ourselves from noisy environments. Since removing ourselves from a noise environment is not always possible, it’s imperative to limit our exposure to loud sounds by protecting our ears and hearing with hearing protection. Damage from noise is not only affected by intensity but also duration of exposure. When individuals find themselves shouting to be heard, then they are already in an environment where hearing protection should be used. Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, can be present when individuals have been exposed to loud noises over a period of time and may accompany a temporary shift in hearing also.

The most effective hearing protecting we can use is hearing protection that is appropriate to the environment, comfortable, and used properly. Unfortunately, the commonly used foam-type earplugs are often not inserted properly providing a false sense of security and inadequate hearing protection.

Custom hearing protectors, however, are molded to an individual’s ears. This allows them to be inserted properly every time while providing the maximum amount of protection from noise. There are different options when it comes to custom hearing protection, and a device should be chosen that best suits your environment(s). Some custom hearing protectors provide a moderate amount of noise protection for moderately loud sounds, and other devices provide a high amount of protection for very loud sounds. Still, other custom hearing protectors provide enough hearing protection to stop NIHL while still maintaining sound quality – musicians generally prefer this type.

The process to obtaining custom hearing protectors is simple. First, make an appointment with your hearing health care provider. He or she will take a look in your ears to make sure the ear canals are clear (your hearing health care provider will perform any necessary cleaning at this time). Next, a small foam block will be placed in your ear canal to protect your eardrums during the impression process. Your ear canals will be filled with soft silicone putty to make an exact impression of each of your ears. The impressions will be sent to an ear mold lab, and in approximately two weeks you’ll have your new custom hearing protectors.

While you’re in the office, it’s a good idea to have your hearing health care provide perform a hearing test. This test provides you and the provider with a baseline of your hearing sensitivity and will identify any current hearing loss and allow you to track your hearing sensitivity over time.

If you’re interested in protecting your hearing with custom hearing protectors or would like to take advantage of a no-charge comprehensive hearing consultation, please call and schedule and appointment with one of Better Hearing & Balance Connection’s providers at 479-657-6464 or visit

www.betterhearingandbalance.net for more information.