Hearing Center: Devices That Can Protect Your Ears

If you have a job or participate in hobbies that involve a great deal of noise, you need to consider wearing ear protection. You can get many of these items at a dedicated hearing center near you, or at any website that specializes in protective equipment. Don't underestimate the amount of volume and noise it takes to ruin your ears. Once sound damage has been done, there is no way to reverse it. It's permanent. A much better idea is to keep your ears protected in the first place. No matter if you're working construction, concert security, or you enjoy shooting guns at a firing range, you need to have something to dampen the sound. Here are some devices that can protect your ears. Foam Earplugs These are the cheapest solution to ear protection available, but they are effective in many situations. You can usually find these at a hearing center or at any drug store or grocery store in your area. Look in the aisle where they keep ear drops and other similar products and that's where they will likely be found. There are several benefits to using foam earplugs. They are small and lightweight, meaning they won't be a hassle to carry around with you at all times. Of course, the downside is that these plugs will block the sounds you want to hear as well, including conversation. Still, they are perfect for situations where blocking out noise is essential. Ear Muffs No, not the kind of earmuffs you wear when it starts snowing outside, but rather a specialized pair of earmuffs designed to dampen volume. Again, a hearing center should carry something of this nature. If not, you may be able to find them at a hardware store or a website dedicated to providing protective work equipment. They look like nothing so much as a pair of quality stereo headphones and they are good for when you need to get out and mow the lawn or blaze up the chainsaw. Musician Ear Plugs Are you a concert aficionado? Do you play in a rock band? Then foam earplugs are not going to be ideal. However, if you can get a good pair of musician's earplugs, you'll be set to enjoy the music at the volume you prefer and save your ability to hear. Beyond simply providing protection, many concertgoers don't realize how much of the music they're missing when they go without earplugs. When exposed to that kind of volume, the ear is unable to distinguish between the various instruments and pick out the highs and lows of the music. If you didn't think it was possible that earplugs could actually improve your concert experience, you should definitely give them a try.