Hearing protection is crucial for preventing noise-induced hearing damage. Exposure to loud noises, whether it’s at work or during leisure activities, can cause irreversible harm to your hearing, making it vital to take steps to protect it. With numerous hearing protection options available, it’s possible to enjoy the activities you love while also preserving your hearing health. Noise-induced hearing loss can happen at any age when no protection is worn. Luckily, the board-certified specialist at Bay Area Hearing Care Professionals has a wide variety of protection options available to suit every individual’s unique needs.
Musician Earplugs and Monitors
When an artist is in the studio, they are surrounded by expensive sound equipment. Creation happens first, and then everyone gets together to edit the finished song. Both of these processes are a good example of potential high noise exposure. It is a necessary part of being a musician, but that doesn’t mean it leads to carelessness. Musicians’ earplugs are used during studio work to protect the hearing of the artist.
When the band goes on the road, the noise from the creation process is minor compared to a live studio audience. This is where in ear monitors come in as a complete replacement for wedges. Back in the day, live concerts had speakers on stage that were known as stage wedges. This helped the band to hear the instruments and vocals as they were playing. With in ear monitors, musicians can get the same functionality directly in their ear canal. That means less space used on the stage, and better protection during high volume sets.
Hearing Protection
In some industries, hearing protection is mandatory in order to do the job. OSHA is serious about protecting workers in multiple fields. They specify that an eight-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or greater requires employee provided hearing protection. This is for the benefit of both workers and employers that want to prevent any long-term hearing damage.
Wearing generic or custom hearing protection is encouraged whenever the noise level is above average. For the average consumer, their lifestyle doesn’t have a mandatory clause for hearing protection. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a benefit to wearing earbuds or ear muffs. Millions of people endanger their health daily without realizing that hearing protection is the solution to the problem.
Custom Earmolds and Earplugs
An earmold is a one for one copy of the wearer’s ear. Its main purpose is to seal the ear canal so that the hearing device can reach optimal levels of operation. The lack of outside noise interference is important for hearing and understanding in busy environments.
For custom earplugs, their extended features depend heavily on the right fit. A good example of this is the effectiveness of a custom sleeping earplug compared to a generic product. The generic product will lack a seal, and its one size fits all dimensions will make the wearer uncomfortable throughout the night. That is why getting the right fit is the most important part of any type of hearing protection.