Protecting your hearing allows you to continue pursuing the hobbies and professions you love without having to worry about increasing your chances of experiencing hearing loss by doing so. The Audiology Offices offer hearing protection products for hunters, swimmers, musicians and everyone else. We’ll provide an overview of these products below.
Hearing Protection
Our audiologists offer a wide variety of hearing protection products. These solutions are as unique as the wearer, which is why it’s important to consider your options and find the protection that best suits your needs.
Hunting
Firing a gun emits loud, explosive sound, which can damage hearing without proper protection. Hunting hearing protection devices feature a filter that automatically closes when damaging noise levels are reached. They are also designed to let safe sounds in, enabling the hunter to remain aware of their surroundings.
Music
Music hearing protection devices allow the wearer to hear sounds accurately but at reduced levels to protect the ears. These also work for flight attendants and bartenders, among other professionals.
Swimming
Swimmer’s earplugs are designed to keep water from entering the ear canal. Water often contains bacteria, which can lead to an ear infection called swimmer’s ear. These earplugs are waterproof and buoyant; if they fall out of the ear while swimming they can be easily retrieved.
Sleep
Sleeping earplugs will help you get uninterrupted rest when you need to sleep at times of the day that can be noisy. They are an excellent option for soft sleepers.
Motorsport
Motorsport earplugs feature a hollow canal to fit underneath a helmet and help to reduce wind buffering.
Surf
Surfing earplugs help to protect the ear from exposure to cold water and wind. They’re floatable and are designed to allow you to hear while still protecting your ears.
Occupational
Occupational earplugs can prevent hearing loss in industrial settings like construction sites and manufacturing plants.
iCustom
iCustom earplugs are designed to be used in combination with earbuds for listening to music, podcasts, audiobooks and even phone calls.
DefendEar 1 and DefendEar 2
DefendEar 1 and DefendEar 2 offer amplification of sound for situational awareness and then protection when loud noises, like shots, ring out.
DefendEar Hunter
DefendEar Hunter earplugs are specifically designed for hunters. They offer enhanced protection in windswept environments and come equipped with a variety of helpful digital features.
Custom Earplugs
Custom earplugs guarantee that you get the perfect fit every time. They’re made from a mold of your actual ear to give you the most comfortable and effective fit possible. Custom earplugs can be made out of acrylic, silicone or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), based on your needs.
Musicians’ Earplugs and Monitors
Our audiologists can also get you set up with specific earplugs and monitors designed to be used while playing music. These allow you to hear the sound of the music so that you can continue playing expertly but reduce the decibel levels of the sound to protect your hearing.
Every patient’s ears are unique.
Custom-made earplugs involve creating an exact replica of the patient’s ear. The process starts by first checking the ear canal for any earwax buildup. If any is detected it must be removed before the mold can be taken. A foam dam is inserted into the ear canal to prevent the impression material from coming in contact with the eardrum. The impression material is inserted into the ear with a syringe. Once the ear is filled, the material is pressed to ensure there are no air pockets in the mold. Once hardened, the patient can take the bite block out of their mouth and the mold is removed from the ear.
An earmold can then be created from the mold out of acrylic, vinyl or silicone. Acrylic earmolds are made of the hardest material, are resistant to breakage and are the easiest to repair. They lack flexibility, making them difficult to place into small ears. Vinyl earmold are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and are softer than acrylic but firmer than silicone. This type of material is able to produce a better fit but may shrink and harden over time. Silicone produces the softest and most flexible earmold. While difficult to insert into the ear, they produce the tightest seal and are extremely durable.