Best Way to Plug Your Ears in an Emergency?

[coffee_girl]

If a truck passes by do you plug your ears with your fingers or should you push in your tragus, or fold your ear flap inwards? Which method is better? =D

 

[TimfromPgh]

Stick your index fingers in your ears. If you can't do that because of finger nails, pushing the Tragus with your index fingers should be fine. I also recommend getting a good set of earplugs that are custom molded to your ears and try wearing them when out.
Get used to wearing them when you expect you might be exposed to overly loud sounds. Mine are "musicians earplugs" and have a flat frequency response so things aren't so muffled. They are pricy, but you're worth it. I have a pair I keep in a pill bottle in my pocket every time I leave the house. I do not depend on these for things like concerts but just for extra protection.
I no longer go to concerts, sadly , but T and H are life changers and we have to adapt. You may also wish to look into getting ear muffs to keep nearby or in your purse like Peltor or similar. Some muffs look like headphones so no one will think you are weird wearing them in public.

 

[RoeTaKa]

Yeah fingers in the ears, you wanna plug the sound quick. Tragus is probably good too, but any other way is just creating a filter which could potentially accentuate the sounds you hear and that could be really bad if a particular tone is one that causes distress or potential spike. I had a guy on a dirtbike pass and rev by me really hard like a week ago and I drew my fingers to my ears so fast, probably looked really weird to him but whatever lol.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I push on my tragus, as I am worried about my fingers introducing bacteria into my ears.

I also found out that when I have earplugs in, I can achieve significant further noise reduction by pressing on the tragus.

 

[Bill Bauer]

If a truck passes by do you plug your ears with your fingers or should you push in your tragus, or fold your ear flap inwards? Which method is better? =D

Finally, we have a scientific answer to this question

https://solentacoustics.wordpress.com/2015/11/19/natural-hearing-protection-hands

I still believe that pressing on the tragus ought to be as good as sticking one's finger into one's ear. I think the reason the study above achieved different results is due to the dummy that they used being different from the human body.

 

[coffee_girl]

Finally, we have a scientific answer to this question

I still believe that pressing on the tragus ought to be as good as sticking one's finger into one's ear. I think the reason the study above achieved different results is due to the dummy that they used being different from the human body.

I agree, i am afraid of ear infections so i no longer stick my nails into my ears any more. Pressing the tragus in a pinch has always worked.

 

[Alue]

It really depends on your own anatomy. For me, the best way is cupping the palms of my hands over my ears because of my stupid large ear canals.