Hearing Protection and Tinnitus: Keep The Tiny Hair Cells Safe — Discuss!

[Louise]

Hello everybody ,

I obtained tinnitus by going to a festival, five years ago. After feeling depressed for few months, I learned how to not hear the tinnitus and since than things go pretty good.

Nowadays, I still go out often and for me the simple foam earplugs work out great. Sine I'm pretty self-conscious, I always put the plugs deep in my ear so not everybody can see them, but still people come up to me with '' What do You have in your Eaaarsss !? Whyyy !? You think the music is loud !? '' and so on and so on. Now, after 5 years, I'm so tired of these questions about tinnitus every time I go to a party or event.

So I was wondering, are there more people out here who prefer their earplugs are not too prominent present, and if so, what are your tricks and tips to mask your earplug? I once paint my black, the colour of the ear hole, and that worked out pretty good

Peace and love,
Koenraad

Hi Koenraad,

How did you 'lean not to hear the tinnitus'? How?

 

[Emma]

Are spongy foam ear plugs and headphones/headsets the only two options? Is anyone using hi-tech or unique forms of hearing protection?

 

[Markku]

If I use basic foam plugs, these are my choice, very comfortable, fit well and very soft:





I also now have Elacin's ER25, which are great for music (gigs, concerts, whatever) thanks to flat attenuation and custom fit (they are moulded to fit your ears).




Elacin's are quite expensive, just like other custom plugs, but they last a good while and are really worth it if you like to hear the music as is, just not as loud. IMO.

 

[adam2525]

I use ACS pro musicians ear plugs. They block off the harmful sound and also allow you to hear what you are doing.
They are made to measure. Not cheap but should last for decades.

The ones I use are below.

ACS PRO 15

 

[Ivan]

Hello, my friends.
Would foam earplugs be enough if you were going to the rock concert? I've heard that each earplug has it's decibel resistance, meaning that if the source of a sound has much more decibels, one's earplug will let the sound in and therefor mess up your tinnitus even more. My friend and I are planning to play together. Usually when we play together, the volume could be compared to the real rock concert. As I mentioned in another thread, I have a phobia of worsening my tinnitus.

Ivan.

 

[Lord of the Ring]

Foam earplugs aren't your best bet, as they often leak. And don't forget about the vibrations that reach your inner ear through the petrous part of the temporal bone

 

[Markku]

@Ivan
I merged your post with existing ones and created a new thread about hearing protection. Hope this helps.

 

[Deep]

I swear by my ACS molded ear plugs, I have a -15db filter, but they turn down the overall sound much more compared to -20db non-molded ones, because the ACS are fitted to your exact ear shape they do not allow certain frequencies to punch though as much, plus the filters are AMAZING, literally just sounds like someone has turned down a volume switch instead of placing a bucket over a speaker.

 

[oliver]

I swear by my ACS molded ear plugs, I have a -15db filter, but they turn down the overall sound much more compared to -20db non-molded ones, because the ACS are fitted to your exact ear shape they do not allow certain frequencies to punch though as much, plus the filters are AMAZING, literally just sounds like someone has turned down a volume switch instead of placing a bucket over a speaker.

Hello deep, I also have these exact same ear plugs and I couldn't agree more with you. They allow me to go to gig's (unfortunately night clubs are still generally a "no" for me), play on the decks at home and go to my teams football stadium without the worry of spikes. The filters really are amazing as well, it feels like a comfortable headphone that narrows the frequency of sound and they feel like you can hear better with them in! I recommend them to everyone, even those who don't have T.

P.S. I don't work for ACS! I just highly recommend them!

 

[Job]

I recently got some, but the fit isn't perfect; there is occlusion when I talk. I'm taking them back to get them remade.

 

[erik]

Great Resource

http://www.hiddenhearing.co.uk/hearing-protection-how-loud-is-loud/

 

[Markku]

Love the page. Gives me further ideas for Tinnitus Network, especially on how graphics really can make the information more graspable.

Of course the content was good too. Always great to be reminded about sound levels; absolutely required information for the newcomers here.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[erik]

Yes we can do something similar. It is always easier to see something graphical then just text.

 

[Cher69]

Need some guidance ..... about ear plugs to protect my hearing.

I've now got to the stage where I have accepted and learning to cope with my T - and want to do all I can to protect my hearing and hopefully try to prevent T worsening over time or subjecting my ears to anything too loud !

With this in mind - I do want a life and we have tickets for a concert at the races in a few weeks - where do I start looking at ear plugs to protect myself if the music is very loud. I've already told the family Im not standing anywhere near the speakers - but Im a little cautious about going but still want to have some fun with the family.

Looking for advice on what to buy and what not to buy from those who have already experienced good and bad ear protection ideas etc

Many thanks - Cher x

 

[erik]

Hi Cher,

Looks like you are on the right path...., and you want to definitely protect your ears at concerts. I use ER20 musicians ear plugs. They are inexpensive and work well and are not too noticeable, at least not as bad as orange foam earplugs. They are comfortable and block out most of the harmful sounds you don't want to hear while allowing you to still hear things fairly clearly unlike standard foam ear plugs. You can read more about them here. The key is to get the right size for your ear. My ears canals are small so the small size work well for me.

The only other route I thought about going and still might, was to get custom molded to my ear, ear plugs. They run about $100-150 here in the US.

I keep ear plugs handy as much as I can. I have a pair in each of my cars and an extra just in case. Basically, the rule of thumb is that if you have to raise your voice to be heard or to hear someone else speak then it is probably too loud for your ears. I wear them at loud events, concerts and sometimes cinema depending on the film.

I am sure others will chime in with some good recommendations also.

 

[Petloy]

I have the molded ear plugs at 25 and 15 db, and I also have the Alpine Music Safe Pro with 3 attenuations, for low, medium and high protections. You are on the right path as Erik said, when I first got my T it was mild, after a month I went to a church service with very amplified music and I was near the speakers as well...well my T changed after that, but don't get me wrong I still got used to it (the louder T) after a while, but how I wished I could've gotten advice when I was a newbie...after that incident I made sure I ask the veterans for advice before doing something.

 

[Deep]

In my opinion the best, worth every penny.

http://www.acscustom.com/uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35&Itemid=51

 

[Markku]

@Cher69,
I merged your thread with this existing one about hearing protection.

I sincerely suggest custom moulded ear plugs such as the ones Deep posted.

All the best,
Markku

 

[Cher69]

Well I've gone for some @erik suggested for ease of ordering and see how I get on and I need something for Friday night at York evening race meet with k-chiefs playing afterwards so needed quick fix and amazon are deffo quick and reliable ! Will see how I get on before going for those expensive suggestions although prob worth every penny gonna see how these work in an outside concert as a starting point. Ty for suggestions and bring on the weekend fun starts at York races and then a week away no work !!! X

 

[Per]

Before I get the chance to visit an audiologist I want to know if anyone here have any preferences in regards to earplug protection? Since I don't think the audiologist have T I guess it's better for me to get that advice here, for what I know the people I see in the treatment business could be commercially bios and recommend a lesser product. Are there any particulate manufacturers or concepts I should consider? I need some ear gear to keep in my pocket in case of emergency, right now all I have is coned shaped "air flight / sleep plugs. If I squeeze the tip and push them inside my ear I manage to remove loud noise but they tend to slip out easily.

 

[Sean]

Hi every one,

I am just wondering how do you guys protect your ears ? i use Macks ear plus..they are made up of silicon/plastic type of material that molds really well in to your ear. I have custom made ear plugs( $100.00) but it seems macks ear plus works better than my custom ear plus.

have you guys heard of etymotic EB-15 ear plugs? they cost $ 500.oo. any opinion as to which ear plugs are the best in the market ?
please advise.

 

[Kodiak Island]

I need some advice. My son and I have gone to a NHRA drag race in Las Vegas for several years. I have had tinnitus and the extreme loudness of the racing has not bothered it ( I did wear ear muffs). My tinnitus is louder as of a few months ago. My questions is, if I wear very good ear plugs and very good ear muffs over them, should I be safe to go to the race with my son? The races are about 140 db! We will be seated about 150 feet away.

 

[Markku]

Those numbers are comparable to today's average rock concert, which Fligor pegs in the 104-dB range. Unlike a concert, though, drag racing action happens a few seconds at a time, with lengthy pauses to clean the track after engine failures and oil downs. "But when you are reaching the kind of levels they are," Fligor says, "length of time is kind of irrelevant. The 145-165 range is when you cross over to physical damage. Get above 165 and you're talking about total structural destruction of the eardrum.

"For fans, the good news is that ear protection, even over-the-counter foam earplugs, can cut sound by 20 dBs or more when used properly. But for Big Daddy and guys like me, there's little to be done to reverse damage. "I bet when you first started, you were too cool to wear earplugs, weren't you?" Garlits shouts, slapping me on the shoulder. "And I bet after this, you'll be jamming those suckers down in there with a hammer."

Drag racing: The loudest sport

If you use this tool: http://www.howardleight.com/selector
You can find muffs with SNR (explained) of 32-34... meaning that if the drag race is 140 dB, then the perceived noise level would be 106 - 108 dB...

Ear plugs (some offer over 30 dB noise reduction) combined with the muffs would bring the total noise level down to about 78 dB....

The actual combined noise reduction effect, however, will be lower. It's not as straightforward as simply adding them up.

I found some information for you which you might find interesting.

Extra Protection: Wearing Earmuffs and Earplugs in Combination

However, the attenuation of the combination is not equal to the sum of the individual attenuation values (Berger, 1983), as illustrated in Figure 1. Note for example; at 1000 Hz the combination of a 26-dB plug and a 34-dB muff does not yield 60-dB overall, but rather about 41 dB. The principal reason is the bone-conduction (BC) limits to attenuation, which are also illustrated in Figure 1.

One study, of which the author is aware, suggests that the highest attenuation in terms of an NRR-like number, that can realistically be obtained for about 84% of the population, is about 25 dB (Hachey and Roberts, 1983). This was observed in one study of a foam earplug worn in combination with a small-volume plastic earmuff. Thus when TWAs (time-weighted average) exceed about 110 dB, even dual protection is likely to be inadequate. At such times, limited durations of exposure and twice-annual monitoring audiometry should be considered.

Double Hearing Protection - Noisehelp.com

 

[Callum White]

Hi guys, was just wondering what type of hearing protection everyone uses, if any at all. I'm asking this for general curiosity but also because I am tempted to invest in a pair of custom made musician ear plugs which cost around the £150 mark. Does anyone use these types of ear plugs or do they just use cheaper ear plugs which cost £15 or below?

Also do you use them for clubbing, going to gigs, festivals, loud pubs and bars etc?

Here's an example of custom fitted musician ear plugs http://www.puretonemusic.net/er_earplugs.html

 

[JTP]

Hi, Custom fitted plugs offer much better fidelity and comfort. IMO cheaper ones will protect your ears just as well and you won't be as pissed off when you eventually lose them I think these are the pros and cons. If you can select the filters, I would not take anything less than 25dB.

 

[Leo1994]

What kind of ear protections does famous musican use on stage? I bought custom made ear plugs, costed me 300 euro, yet, they arent protecting well enough, I used them 24/7 in a club, when i got outside the club i noticed that my tinnitus had got louder. I am so sad, i just started univeristy and i feel like im missing alot in life. I am ony 19 years old and I have had tinnitus for about 7 years.... Everyone is going to parties etc and im staying home because im afraid my tinnitus will get even louder. Even when i use my custom made ear plugs my ears get more damaged from clubs... I dont know what to do I am missing so much in life, where ever the fun is, there is loud music...

 

[yonkapin]

If you're going clubbing and what not definitely get custom moulded plugs from a decent audiologist. If you can find an authorised fitter, the best brand to get would be etymotic. If not then something like a pair of resound custom fits are good too. They're both available with interchangeable filters so you can adjust them to your needs depending where you are, always go -25 when clubbing though.

 

[SarahR]

I've been looking at custome earplugs (I know my temptation to go somewhere loud will get the better of me) and I'm looking for a high level of attenuation.

I'm in the UK and have found both these brands which I should be able to get fitted easily. Does anyone have any thoughts on which is better and why?

http://www.acscustom.com/uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=139&Itemid=44

http://www.puretonemusic.net/er_earplugs.html

Thanks!

 

[LadyDi]

Not that I have that much experience: But I agree with Yonkapin. Etyomic is the way to go. I invested in custom molded musicians plugs;. They make them out of clear plastic, so they aren't so noticeable, and come with three sets of filters: 9 db, 15 db and 25 db. The filters let some sound in so you can still have a conversation in a restaurant or play music and hear others around you -- which is a really, really nice feature. Expensive: Mine were $240 USD, which came with two sets of filters, and I had to pay $80 for the third set. They need to be fitted by an audiologist or authorized professional.

You also can get 25 db solid plugs for the filter holes, which shut out more sound and would be better for super loud environments. But I still would be very careful about going to clubs, even with the best earwear possible. Stay away from the speakers and go outside for frequent breaks.

 

[Markku]

I've been looking at custome earplugs (I know my temptation to go somewhere loud will get the better of me) and I'm looking for a high level of attenuation.

I'm in the UK and have found both these brands which I should be able to get fitted easily. Does anyone have any thoughts on which is better and why?

http://www.acscustom.com/uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=139&Itemid=44

http://www.puretonemusic.net/er_earplugs.html

Thanks!

I have the Elacin's ER25. They are great and deserving of all the praise.

I really can't find any fault with them, and they will last you years in active use.