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Hearing Loss and Ear Protection
According to the Better Hearing Institute, approximately 34.5 million Americans suffer hearing loss. Common causes of hearing loss are noise exposure, age, family history and diabetes.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, says one in 10 American has a hearing loss that affects his or her ability to understand normal speech.
Hearing loss related to excessive noise usually occurs over time but it is permanent and should not be taken lightly. Most times, hearing loss becomes noticeable when there is a ringing or other sound in the ear (tinnitus) or it becomes hard to understand what people are saying, especially in busy environments such as restaurants, theatres or parties. This is often the beginning of high-frequency hearing loss.
The most important fact to note is that exposure to excessive noise is avoidable.
Here are a few basic facts and tips to help protect your hearing:
- As a general rule, if you are at arm's length from a noise and have to shout to be heard, the noise is loud enough to damage your hearing.
- A person should always wear hearing protection when working in a loud environment, with power tools, noisy yard equipment, when using firearms, or when riding a motorcycle.
Earplugs, Canal Caps and Earmuffs
Both can be found at most pharmacies, industrial supply stores, department stores or online, and should be used by anyone who is exposed to loud noises‹whether it occasional or regular exposure.
Earplugs are small and insert into the outer ear canal. They must fit snugly and block the entire circumference of the ear canal. When earplugs do not fit properly, become dirty or worn out, they will not seal properly and can cause irritation of the ear canal. Plugs come in a variety of sizes and shapes or can be custom-made.
Canal Caps resemble earplugs but are attached to a flexible band of some sort. The tips of the cap can be either formable or pre-molded material. Some have headbands and others are worn around the neck or under the chin. The main advantage of canal caps in the convenience of having the caps around the neck and being able to insert them as needed.
Earmuffs come in a variety of styles and fit most people. They block outside noise by completely covering the outer ear. They can be "low profile", meaning the cup is small, or they can be large. Large styles hold more materials to block sound and are most often chosen for extremely noisy situations. Some muffs include electronic components which help users communicate.
The drawback to earmuffs is that the seal can be broken around the ears by beards, hair and glasses, decreasing the protection. When these issues are present, ear plugs are a better choice. Other users find ear muffs to be hot and heavy.
The best choice of hearing protection is one that is comfortable and convenient enough to be worn each time it's needed.
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