How to Choose the Right Earplugs

At Cosmetic Hearing Solutions, we help numerous clients choose the right ear protection for their needs. Many people need ear protection, particularly musicians and other individuals who are constantly surrounded by loud noises. Typically, the best solution is to get a pair of earplugs. However, you need to know how to pick the right ones that provide the protection you need.

To assist you on this journey, here are some tips to follow:

Think about your needs

Firstly, you need to consider why you require earplugs. As mentioned earlier, musicians are some of the most common people that need hearing protection like this. They’re always surrounded by loud noises that continue for hours on end every day. If you’re a musician, then you need earplugs that protect your ears from all this noise while also allowing you to still hear the music that you’re playing.

Therefore, you need something that reduces sound levels without distorting speech or music. Luckily, you can get custom musician earplugs explicitly made for this purpose – and we can handle this for you!

Different people may also find this type of hearing protection useful, while others may want to completely block out all sound. The bottom line is that you consider why you need your earplugs and this helps you figure out which ones to look for.

Always check the noise reduction rating

The NRR refers to how much the earplugs will reduce sound by. For example, a pair with a noise reduction rating of 35 will reduce the sound in the area by that amount. So, if you’re a musician that’s playing a concert and the volume is 100 decibels, then the earplugs drop it down to 65 for you.

You can find this rating on the packet and you need to pay attention to it. Obviously, you don’t need to be an audiologist to know that the higher the rating, the more protection you get.

Consider any additional features

You probably don’t think that earplugs come with any extra features. But, you’d be wrong! There are plenty of hearing protection devices that come with built-in features that enhance the experience you get from them. One great example of this is an in-ear musician monitor (IEM).

With this, you essentially have a pair of earplugs that fit inside your ears and block out sound from around you. But, the additional feature is that they can connect to different musical devices to play the music through the earplugs. This means you can hear everything that’s being played, but minus the excessive noise and the screams from the crowd.

You also get hearing protection devices with similar features that come with microphones so you can talk to other people wearing their hearing protection, without dealing with the loud noises around you.

Of course, when earplugs come with these features, they tend to be more expensive. So, think about your budget when deciding whether or not you need any extra features in your earplugs.

Get them custom-made

If you go to an audiologist, they can create molds of your ears that allow them to create custom earplugs for you to wear. While this isn’t essential, it’s highly recommended. Especially if you want comfortable earplugs and hearing protection. By getting them custom-made, it enables you to have a device that’s made for your ears only. This differs from buying earplugs online where they come in one size to fit all. As such, you might get a pair that is really uncomfortable and don’t fit correctly, meaning they fail to perform as well as they can.

With customized ones, they fit snugly in your ear and block out as much sound as possible. This means they function more effectively, as well as being far more comfortable.

So, there you have it; how to choose the right earplugs. In essence, it all boils down to your requirements, the noise reduction rating, the features and the fit. If you consider all of these things, then you will find the perfect pair of hearing protection earplugs.

It's well worth noting that you need a professional audiologist to help you with any custom earplug creation or fitting. So, if you want the best quality plugs for your ears, then contact our team today. At Cosmetic Hearing Solutions, we offer a service that’s designed to help you find your perfect pair of earplugs – including ones specifically made for musicians! Call us now at (571) 312-7345 to book an appointment with an audiologist today. Alternatively, you can use that number to ask any questions you have about earplugs and this service!