Monthly Archives: July 2010

Disposable or reusable ear plugs

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With the amount of earplugs to choose form it can be quite off putting which ones are the best, you are bombarded with lots of questions. Are disposable or reusable earplugs better for me? Do I need custom fit earplugs or mouldable or pre-mouldable? Well your questions are answered.

Are disposable or reusable earplugs better for me?

It all depends on your preferences are. If you want to have one pair of earplugs that you have to clean for hygiene reasons then reusable earplugs are the best choice for you. However, if you are a bit clumsy and tend to lose things or you don’t like the fuss of having to constantly clean your earplugs then disposable is the right choice for you.  A great time and money saver when it comes to disposable earplugs is to bulk buy them. This way you will be not have to be constantly buying them to protect your ears at all times.

What is the difference between disposable and reusable?

Apart from stating the obvious, but I’m going to anyway; disposable earplugs are designed to be thrown away after a single use and reusable earplugs are designed to be use time and time again, the main difference is the material they are manufactured in. Disposable earplugs are generally manufactured using foam, whereas reusable earplugs are normally made from silicone. Most reusable earplugs use a non-allergenic soft medical grade silicone, with a majority of them being waterproof, suitable for swimming and water sports.

Do I need custom fit earplugs or mouldable or pre-mouldable?

Custom fit earplugs are designed to fit every shape of ear and generate an extraordinary level of protection. There are the more expensive type of earplug, but tend to last longer than traditional earplugs making them cost effective. Mouldable earplugs are designed to mould to the shape of your ear whereas pre-mould earplugs are already moulded to a certain shape and size, which can be ideally suitable for children. These earplugs tend to last around 4 years.

What should I be looking for in earplugs?

What you look for in an earplug depends on what uses you going to get out of it. What do you need the earplugs for? Is it for a gig/concert or for swimming? However the main factor you should look for in earplugs is the NRR (noise reduction rating).  Depending on the level of noise you want to block or reduce, depends on the NRR level you need.

Ear plugs for motorcyclists

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Ear plugs can really make a difference to your riding experience as it can improve your confidence and performance when on the road. Ear plugs are normally forgotten by most bike riders as they are more concerned with protecting their bodies and head with the use of leathers and a helmet. However, your hearing can be subjected to a lot of damaging noise when riding over 50MPH on a regular basis.

Wind noise when travelling at a high speed can seriously affect your hearing, but with the use of motorcyclist ear plugs you will be getting the protection you need at all times. They are also specifically designed to fit comfortably under a helmet as well as reducing the noise for you to hear more coherently and protecting your hearing. Wearing these motorcyclist ear plugs can make your ride more enjoyable as it can make your journey a lot less stressful.

Not only do you need to protect yourself from wind noise, but also helmet noise.  This is when air comes up under the neck of the helmet and makes an incredibly uncomfortable level of noise. Ear plugs when worn correctly can reduce this level of noise and make your riding experience a lot more enjoyable and stress free.

For more information about biking with ear plugs have a look at webbikeworld, there is a great source of information to be found.

Hyperacusis in the news

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I was reading a newspaper article recently and there was a very interesting topic on hearing problem, hyperacusis. Singer-song writer Chris Singleton suffered from this condition, which put a strain on his career and relationship with his girlfriend. His ears became extremely sensitive to everyday sounds, such as the sound of espresso machines and mobile ringtones.

Chris told the Independent; “It started with the sensation of a ‘fullness’ in my ears, a bit like the experience you might have after swimming,” he says. “Then, within weeks, the most commonplace noises were becoming excruciating.”

“I suffered from it for the best part of a year and it affected every aspect of my life. I had moved to London to be with my girlfriend, Emma, and it put a real strain on our relationship. I was angry and irritable all the time and she would have to tip-toe around me. During arguments, we would have to whisper rather than shout.”

To make sure he could hear without having constant pains in his ears, Chris wore attenuating earplugs to lower the level of sound emitted whilst still being able to hear conversations.

In the studio, when he was mixing his first album at Abbey Road, Chris found himself in an embarrassing situation, having to tell the engineer to turn the volume down. “He looked at me like I had lost my mind”.

After a while and countless appointments with the doctor, Chris Singleton was diagnosed with the rare medical condition of hyperacusis, in which he had to refrain from wearing the earplugs and attend regular appointments at a hearing therapist.

“It’s made me appreciate my hearing, that’s for sure. I’m careful not to wear headphones that much and when I’m playing or at a gig I wear special musician’s earplugs.”

Sleeping better with ear plugs

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It is important for us to retain 7-9 hours of sleep every night to allow our bodies to rejuvenate from our daily activities. However, more people who are having problems with sleep are relying on sleeping longer than usual to make them feel more refreshed, but it is having opposite effects. This is not a good way to maintain a healthy lifestyle, so instead why not turn to simple ways to improve your sleeping. It is better for you to sleep smarter than it is for you to be sleeping longer.

Use earplugs to help block to sound of a snoring partner or the constant noise of ongoing traffic. These sleep and snoring earplugs are designed specifically to be worn in bed and are comfortable to wear. They are designed to mould to the shape of your ear to help block or reduce the noise, depending on the attenuation. Having earplugs mould to the shape of your ear, ensures that they will not fall out during the night, they generate maximum comfort and outstanding performance, leaving you feel rested and ready for the next day’s activities.

If the noise isn’t what is keeping you up at night and it is the nights becoming longer, blocking out the sun couldn’t be made any easier. Use an eye shade next time and be amazed at how much quality sleep you will get. They are comfortable to wear and no matter what position you like to sleep in, you can be sure that the mask will not move to allow any light in. There are also some great packs that include not only an eye mask, but also earplugs. It is the essential kit for a good night’s sleep.

Clubbing experience with ear plugs

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Clubs always boast a great atmosphere to be a part of where you can enjoy and share the music you love with other people. However, if you tend to go out painting the town red regularly it can seriously damage your hearing as clubs can reach approximately 120dB. Not only is this a matter for people attending the nightclubs, but it is also concerning for those working the nights such as the bouncers, bar staff and DJs.

The solution to the problem is to wear ear plugs, but if you are concerned about the aesthetics of wearing them there are ear plugs that are very small and discreet. By wearing ear plugs, it will help you with your hearing in years to come and what’s more will allow you to enjoy your music for longer without any ringing sensation.

There are many disadvantages of going clubbing; sore throats from trying to communicate over the music, suffering from ringing ears and if the volume is too loud can change the enjoyment of the music. With musician ear plugs not only will you be able to hear conversations and prevent ringing ears you will also be able to enjoy the music as it will intensify and clarify it.

Another ear plug form that could be advantageous is noise reduction ear plugs as they reduce the background noise to a safer level and giving you the benefit of hearing conversations over the music. There are many forms of ear plugs out there for you to choose from and are all suitable for wearing when out hitting the nightclubs; re-usable, mouldable, custom fit and pre-moulded.

H.E.A.R

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Hearing maybe one of the few things we take for granted, but imagine your life without being able to hear your favourite song, the gossip the girls are discussing, programmes showed on the television and debates on the radio. Hearing is one of the most important aspects of development from the day that we are born and with the demand for having everything louder we need to protect our sensitive hearing.

Levels of sound should never be over 90 decibels as this can have an effect on your hearing if exposed for too long on a regular basis, so it is advisable to wear protective ear plugs.

This has been the message that H.E.A.R (Hearing Education Association for Rockers) has been sending for over 20 years. The association set up in San Francisco, America is known worldwide for creating awareness of hearing loss to professional musicians and general rockers. Set up by bass player, Kathy Peck of The Contradictions and physician Flash Gordon M.D in 1988, the idea came after Kathy went to an extremely loud gig.

Kathy previously suffered from hearing problems as in 1984, which brought a stop to her career, but pushed her into getting H.E.A.R set up and running. The organisation has come through leaps and bounds and through the support of various respected names such as MTV, Lars Ulrich of Metallica and Pete Townshend of The Who, along with many others it has become a globally recognised name in itself.

For rockers the best protection to have can be sourced from Musician earplugs or Noise reduction earplugs. I have found that these are ideal for taking with you to loud gigs, but earplugs are also great for taking with you to festivals and other musical events.

With constant exposure to extreme sounds your hearing can quickly degenerate, so it is increasingly important to get your ears checked by a doctor once a year and to have the right protection.

DJ’s love ear plugs

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DJ earplugs are attenuating, meaning that they do not block out all the sound completely, it is just heard at a lower and safer level. Attenuating earplugs fulfil extremely important factors when DJs are on the decks regularly such as, protecting your ears from high levels of noise and improving the sound quality. Sound quality will improve due to your ears not going into protect mode. When you are exposing yourself to loud sounds your ears start to protect themselves, but they can only do this for a certain amount of time and that is why it is extremely important for DJs to wear ear plugs. If ear plugs are not worn and your ears protective mode has worn off permanent and irreversible damage can occur such as deafness and tinnitus. One way your body tells you that your hearing is n danger of being damaged is when your ears begin to ring.

To prevent your ears from ever ringing or experiencing damage wear protective earplugs designed for being worn around music. Musician earplugs are fantastic attenuating and protective plugs for your ears that will allow you to enjoy the music at a safer volume.

Working with ear plugs

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It is a becoming a vital requirement to be wearing ear plugs in the workplace, especially in the industrial work force, but is becoming increasingly more important in bars and clubs as music is getting louder. When working and being constantly surrounded by heavy machinery or loud music your hearing can become seriously damaged. What is even more concerning is the damage that low level sounds create. Ear plugs are a vital part of the work uniform especially when it comes to health and safety and what needs to be remembered is that size does matter. To get the most of our your work ear plugs the fit is crucial, mouldable or pre-moulded earplugs are the best as they are tailored to the size and shape of your ear canal, generating the best protection to damaging sounds.

Working with music

If you are in a band or work alongside a band, such as a technician, it is advisable to have musician ear plugs, especially if you undergo long rehearsals on a daily basis. Band practises can reach approximately 110 – 120 decibels, 30 – 40 decibels higher than normal.

Using earplugs in a bar or club has brilliant effects, it dilutes the music in the background protecting your hearing, and allows bar tenders to hear drinks orders more coherently.

If you are a music teacher, wearing ear plugs is advisable as being surrounded constantly by students playing instruments can damage your hearing. Beginners tend to play instruments a lot louder than professionals and can reach to approximately 140 decibels. It is also a great idea to get your students using earplugs especially as children’s ears are a lot more sensitive.

Working at industrial sites/farms

Health and safety in the industrial environment is crucial, especially with heavy machinery being used across the area all week long.

Noise reduction ear plugs are also extremely useful for working farmers when having to feed their herds. Pig’s squeals can reach to approximately 100 decibels during feeding so it is vital to protect your hearing on a regular basis. This is also true when working with farming machinery which can reach over the safe 87 decibels, putting farmers at risk of hearing loss.

Facts about Swimmers Ear

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All you need to know about Swimmer’s Ear can be found in this quick fact sheet I have put together for you. I have briefly explained what swimmers ear is in a recent blog and why swimmers use earplug to prevent the condition. However, this guide will tell you about the signs of swimmers ear and what measures to take to prevent any future infection.

  • Swimmers ear is an infection that is found in the external ear and outer part of the ear canal.
  • With the infection you may experience swollenness, redness and soreness
  • You may experience itching, which can set off the pain and may notice discharge from the ear.
  • There is a subtle difference between otitis externa (swimmer’s ear) and otitis media, which is a middle ear infection. To distinguish the infection wiggle or pull your ear, if you can do this without any discomfort or pain you will have the symptoms of Otitis Media.
  • Using cotton wool swabs can make you more susceptible to swimmer’s ear.
  • The most common cause is the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa which is commonly found in water, soil and plants.
  • It is not contagious, but should be treated with antibiotics

If you are experiencing the symptoms of swimmer’s ear or otitis externa (the medical term) it is extremely important to contact your local GP for information and guidance on treating the infection.

If you or your child has had an encounter with the infection, here are some tips to prevent the chance of having swimmers ear returning in the future:

  • After swimming, make sure your ears are dry, the simple use of an ear dryer could be the answer you have been looking for.
  • The use of eardrops could also help prevent ear infections
  • Children should not use cotton swabs to clean their ears, or be left to clean their ears unsupervised.
  • Make sure the chlorine levels are at a safe level and do not swim in contaminated water.

Get a good night’s sleep

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Sleep is a critical when trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You are expected to have 7-9 hours sleep per night to allow your body to rest and restore itself after the day’s activities. This can be extremely hard to maintain especially if you are a light sleeper when the nights are becoming a lot lighter or you have a partner who likes to snore.

It is estimated that over 1 billion people, with the US, Germany and the UK estimating to represent over 70 million snores alone with 60% of snorers being male whilst 40% are women. So if we take into account that there are over 1 billion snores out there and say for arguments sake they have significant others, there are also over 1 billion people who suffer from a bad night’s sleep due to their partners sleeping. This brings to the total of over 2 billion people in the world that do not have the much needed sleep their bodies require.

A simple yet effective way to help those with getting a good night’s sleep is the use of sleep and snoring earplugs. Not only will these earplugs allow you to block out the sounds of your snoring partner, but also the sound of ongoing traffic and other noisy factors.

For those who can’t sleep due to the nights getting lighter a simple solution is wearing a night shade. I have found they are extremely comfortable to wear as I even forgot I had it on and woke up thinking it was still late at night.