Noise reduction rating (NRR) is a measurement that is used to tell customers the level of protection an ear plug can provide. For instance if you see NRR 30dB (decibels), that means that the ear plug in question can decrease the levels of noise you hear by 30 decibels. The higher the number of attenuation, the higher the level of protection generated from the ear plug.

When visiting Ear Plug Shop you will see that our range of noise ear plugs covers from mild (20dB) to strong noise blockers (32dB).

This is a great way of narrowing down your search for the perfect ear plug. If you are aware the event you’ll be attending will be a loud one, it’s best to go for an ear plug that provides a high level of protection (opting for a high attenuation number).

Here are a few of the noise ear plugs we have to offer you:

Heartech SilentEar – noise reduction rating of 32dB

Mack’s Ear Seals – average attenuation of 27dB

Mack’s Ultra Safe Sound Ear plugs – average attenuation of 32dB

• Fill a bowl with warm water and use a soap, (dish soap can be used) and soak the ear plugs for a few minutes.
• With your fingers or if preferred a tooth brush remove all dirt and ear wax from the plugs.
• Once all matter is removed, rinse the ear plugs with cold water and leave to air dry to discourage any bacteria.
• To keep your ear plugs from any unwanted bacteria or fungi store your ear plugs in a case.
• If you want to disinfect the ear plugs, spray them with alcohol and leave to air dry.
• Do not wash silicone putty or soft wax ear plugs.
• Multiple use ear plugs can last approximately 2-4 weeks, depending on care.

Caring for your ear plugs ensure hygiene, which will help minimise the chances of infection and can maximise the lifespan of the ear plugs. It is also essential to keep your ears clean as well, there is no point putting clean ear plugs in dirty ears. This can be easily done using Ear Plug Shop’s Ear Care Ear Plug Accessories.

Last year I could hardly hear the punch lines. It was still an enjoyable experience, but having a lot of children crying, running about and having everyone talking above the performers did mean I missed quite a lot of the jokes.

I don’t want to sound like a bar humbug, I suppose I have sensitive hearing. So this year, I am going to bring along some noise reduction ear plugs. Why? Surely that will block everything? Well, I have found they only block the noises that can be harmful to your hearing, whilst letting the good noises in. These ear plugs can do this due to having two sets of filters, which I think is pretty amazing.

This year will most certainly be jolly, I will be able to hear all the jokes and really get involved in the panto and the audience, instead of suffering in silence.

Not only is the growth of technology increasing our risks of hearing damage and potential deafness, but also some working environments can have a serious effect as well as leisure sports and even holidays.

This however, can easily be combated; with the simple use of ear plugs that are especially design for a certain activity you will be protecting your ears effectively from damaging sounds. You will also be pleased to know there are ear plugs that have special filters that allow you to block the damaging noises and let the sounds you want to hear in.

When it comes to ear plugs there is a great range to choose form, depending on the brand you prefer and the activity you are going to wear them for. For instance if you will be going on holiday for Christmas flying ear plugs would be ideal for you as they will balance the pressure out, preventing your ears from popping and feeling ill when on the plane. Then there are ear plugs for children, designed specifically for smaller and more sensitive ears.

Take a look at the full collection of ear plugs today to see which ear plugs fit your preferences.

Jedward shot to fame through the UK series of X Factor and mentored by Louis Walsh. X Factor is known as a talent competition where we have seen the likes of Leona Lewis, however the talent that came through last year and what we are seeing this year seems to be less than talented and here they are making money from … nothing.

The dynamic twosome will be ‘singing’   through Edinburgh and Glasgow to Southampton, London and Birmingham on their UK tour throughout the month from the 7^th to 30^th.

However, if you are a fan of the twins, getting a pair of ear plugs for music lovers is still a good idea. An amplified rock concert can reach up to 120dB, which after a small amount of time can become dangerous for your hearing, causing tinnitus and permanent hearing loss.

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.

The vuvuzela has been dominating the sound of the World Cup and with the ban of these instruments being ruled out they are set to carry on making their noisy mark. In the stands people have been complaining about the level of noise that these horn blowers make and back in the UK, the same criticisms are being made.

According to FIFA the vuvuzela is part of African footballing culture and so organisers have discarded the idea of putting a ban in place. However, the sound that comes from these plastic horns can have deafening effects to the spectators in the stands. Apparently the instruments can reach up to 130 decibels, which is the same level of noise that comes from a fired shotgun and the same level of the sound threshold for pain.

We have been constantly told that if we are exposed to high level frequencies for a substantial amount of time, we run the risk of irreversible hearing damage or worse deafness. These loud noises coming from the African horns can damage the little hairs (cilia) in the inner ear, which are responsible for receiving noise vibrations and sending these signals to the brain where they are interpreted. Once the cilia are damaged the body cannot repair them and overtime, permanent and irreversible damage to your hearing can occur.

At the World Cup eager spectators have become aware of the effects the vuvuzela tune can have on their hearing and are opting for protection when watching the matches. Football fans across the globe are investing in apparently, “vuvu-stop” earplugs, which have been selling out across the stadiums, according to recent reports.
Personally, I am glad I’m not over there with all the bellowing sounds coming from the horns, but not hearing the commentary rather does irritate me. The family and I sit in the living room with our friends to enjoy the football, but due to the invading sound of the vuvuzela we can’t hear the commentary as well as we had hoped. This is because the vuvuzela shares a similar frequency to human speech, which unfortunately can’t be blocked, unless we put the TV on mute! You would think with the amount of microphones they have at the BBC, they would be able to turn the volume down on the microphone situated in the stadiums?

However, there is good news for those who are soon to be flying off to South Africa. Instead of queuing to purchase your “vuvu-stop” earplugs, why not try using noise reducing earplugs as they allow you to enjoy the rest of the beautiful game, whilst protecting your hearing. Plus it will save you the hassle of queuing with the concern they might have sold out before you get there and worse, you’ve missed the first 5 minutes of the match!

“You can adapt over time to a higher volume of sound, which may sound normal but can be damaging to your hearing. Set your iPod volume to a safe level before that happens. If you experience ringing in your ears, reduce the volume or discontinue use of your iPod.”

They made a very good point that we may not realize noise levels are high when we become used to the sound. If you think about the way our bodies work and how we have built-in mechanisms meant to keep us safe, this is an interesting flaw.

You can’t look in direct sunlight without feeling discomfort nor touch a stove when it’s hot and not pull your hand away quickly. You can get used to bright light, but you’ll probably never be able to look directly in the sunlight. And, although different people tolerate different heat levels, you’ll probably always flinch and pull your hand away from intense heat.

Certain strong odours cause us to cover our noses and mouths (chemicals, etc.) because something is telling us the source of the smell must not be good for our respiratory system. We would never be inclined to eat something that smells foul (well, certain cheeses aside).

Apparently, though, our sense of hearing doesn’t quite work as well. We lose sensitivity to loud sounds the more we are exposed to them. This is likely partial hearing damage in the works.

So, my question is, what noises do you hear in your world? Is your office at work loud? What about the traffic noise outside your home or office? Are you a commuter who takes the train? Does it sound noisy on the platform? Do you work with noisy equipment or machinery? Do you have oodles of children in your home with squeaking, squealing toys?

It’s a good idea to have a think and determine whether you should be protecting your ears from hearing damage. One marker is to make sure you can hear someone talking at a normal voice level. If you or the other person needs to raise their voice in order to be heard, there’s a good chance the decibel levels in your environment can eventually cause permanent hearing damage.

As well, noise pollution can be stressful. So, while rustling of papers, phone conversations and office equipment noises may not be loud enough to cause damage, the stress from the constant noise may be an issue.

There are many noise earplugs, foam earplugs and reusable earplugs that can help protect your ears, even if your ears don’t realize they need protection.