Wearing Ear Protection and Yelling

[9Houndies]

Hi everyone

When I go out to the pasture and yell for the dogs to come in I wear ear protection (foam ear plugs). But I just read that that is the worst thing to do....that the sound will bounce back into your canal. So let's say I yell at 105 dBA...the sounds bounces back 20 or more dBA higher....which would be 125 dBA. I believe they call this collusion.

Is this true. Am very worried. Thanks much!!!!!

 

[GregCA]

That's right, and it's called occlusion effect, not collusion.
It's probably not a good idea to yell, and even less with something plugging your ear canal.

 

[9Houndies]

Is this true just for ear plugs.
How about the wax plugs that don't go in your canal but cover your ear opening?

 

[Bill Bauer]

In the future, you might want to take out the plugs, before yelling. Having said this, you have the most information about this. It sounds like you were not bothered when you yelled while wearing earplugs (and you did not get a spike). If the sound of yelling feels louder with no plugs, I would wear the plugs, if I were you.

So let's say I yell at 105 dBA...the sounds bounces back 20 or more dBA higher....which would be 125 dBA.

I don't think that this is how it works. I would expect the earplug to absorb some sound, and not to amplify it.

 

[GregCA]

I don't think that this is how it works. I would expect the earplug to absorb some sound, and not to amplify it.

Read up on it here.

 

[Tinker Bell]

Is this true just for ear plugs.
How about the wax plugs that don't go in your canal but cover your ear opening?

Based on what GregCA posted, I think the concern is anything that prohibits vibrations from escaping the ear canal. Rather than exiting the ear, it is sent back toward the eardrum. Wax plugs covering the ear opening would not allow the vibrations to exit. I think even earmuffs would do this.

I guess add this to reasons why excessive ear protection use could do more harm than good. Even talking with earplugs is louder than we realize.