However, it is the decibel levels that you’re exposed to constantly that can affect your hearing. Continuous exposure to 85 decibels or more can cause permanent hearing loss or damage, such as tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

Everyday activities such as mowing the lawn and even some of your children’s toys (some can reach 150dB) can have a knock on effect on your hearing. Whether it is using a noisy device or simply listening to music at a high volume, you could be incurring permanent hearing damage.

We live in a noisy world that is filled with chatter, traffic and sometimes industrial sounds. Some noises are within the home environment and some are outside. Wherever we go, we are surrounded by noises that could impair our hearing and this is why it’s so important to protect it. Once it has gone, it’s gone forever.

Women’s earplugs are designed to fit smaller ear canals and seal out the dangerous decibels while allowing you to hear sounds. So although you may be able to protect your hearing from dangerous noise levels, you will, sorry to say, hear the 200th ‘Mum, I want…’ of the day. On a more positive note, though, your teenager’s metal music could be drowned out.

You will find a fantastic range of women’s earplugs at Earplug Shop, including the JenGen Blue Tassel Earplugs that are reminiscent of those Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s wears.

According to Jim Toy, principle at False Creek Design Group Ltd. they have been seeing an increase in demand for adjacent sleeping quarters, or smaller areas built off the master bedroom “for, among other things, the snoring issue.” What’s even more astonishing, it was reported in a 2007 survey from the U.S. National Association of Home Builders, that they expect over 60% of upscale homes to have ‘dual master bedrooms’ by 2015. Designer Tom Sheerer recently told House Beautiful:

“It used to be his-and-hers bathrooms, his-and-hers closets, and his-and-hers offices. Now, everyone wants a snoratorium.”

Sounds like an expensive way to battle out the war on snoring. However, at Earplug Shop we have a great selection of sleeping earplugs that is a great alternative to a snoratorium and a lot more cost effective too.

It’s been said that 30-50% of people snore at one time or another and that is just in the United States! So, now’s the time more than ever to get those sleep and snoring earplugs. Take a look below to view some of the earplugs we have available for you:

Mack’s SafeSound Earplugs for Her

JenGen Blue Tassel Earplugs

Etymotic Research ER-20 High-fidelity Baby Blue Earplugs

Mack’s Dreamgirl Sleep Mask – Another great sleeping accessory.

Swimming

At Earplug Shop we have a great selection of children’s earplugs that are suitable for swimming and other water activities, including these Pluggies Swim earplugs, by Alpine. Not only are these earplugs waterproof to create a barrier against water, they’re also double flanged thermo plugs to provide the ultimate fit.

Travelling

When it comes to travelling children can experience a lot of discomfort in their ears. However, with a pair of Cirrus Healthcare EarPlanes Kids earplugs, discomfort will be a thing of the past. The beauty of these earplugs is that they can also help children to sleep on the plane, blocking out the loud noises that are preventing them from nodding off. Can you think of anything more ideal when on a long haul flight?

Sleeping

Loud noises during the night are normally the main culprit when it comes to your child having a disrupted night, which can have a negative effect on their sleeping pattern. However, wearing a pair of earplugs for sleeping could be the solution. Sleeping earplugs for children can block out the loud noises and allow your child to sleep peacefully throughout the night. We suggest your child should wear a pair of Mack’s pillow Soft Kids size earplugs; they are doctor recommended and are also great for protecting their ears when swimming.

Facts about ear plugs

•    Earplugs reduce noise levels, they don’t block out ALL of the sound
•    Custom fit earplugs provide the best in comfort and are generally the most discrete, but not always the best option
•    There are earplugs available at Earplug Shop that block out harmful noises, yet allow you to hear speech
•    Earplugs can be used to relieve discomfort
•    Never share earplugs
•    You should wear earplugs if noise levels exceed 80dB
•    Tinnitus is not curable, but can be prevented by wearing earplugs

In the early stages of a child’s life their hearing is extremely sensitive to loud noises and if they’re exposed to these noises on a regular basis it can cause irreversible hearing damage or loss. If the noise exposure is even greater, it could cause deafness, which will not only affect the relationships in their lives, it can also cause learning difficulties too.
It isn’t just noise levels either that can cause damage to your child’s hearing, below you will find a number of infections that are commonly found in children.

Ear Infections

Here you will find all the explanations you need for the most common of ear infections. However, if you still have questions and are uncertain about the infections, please feel free to contact us, or talk to your GP.

Otitis media

Otitis media occurs when there is a build up of fluid or mucus between the eardrum and inner ear. If a bacterium is then present it can cause a middle ear infection and become very painful. Symptoms are severe earache, fever and general sickness and dulled hearing. The eardrum may appear to be inflamed or look yellow and have a bumpy texture.

Signs to look for in young children include:

•    Irritability
•    Poor feeding
•    Disturbed sleep
•    Coughing
•    Lack of response to sounds

The simplest cases of Otitis media do not require antibiotics, as 80% of cases resolve within three to four days. However, the BNF recommends treatment if:

•    There is no improvement after 72 hours, or earlier if there is evidence of deterioration
•    The child is unwell
•    Mastoiditis is present
•    The child is under two and both ears are affected

Please note: Glue ear is the common name for Otitis media. Long-term hearing impairment is a significant risk with prolonged glue ear.

Otitis externa

More commonly known as ‘swimmer’s ear’, Otitis externa is an inflammation of the external ear canal and can be caused by many common factors such as swimming, heat and humidity, skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis or seborrhoeic dermatitis, damage to the ear canal caused by hearing aids, cotton wool swabs or ear syringing and discharge produced by a middle ear infection.

The danger concerning Otitis externa is that is can develop spontaneously.  However, it is easy to treat. In some cases the infection may need to be treated by an effective antibiotic ear drop or spray.

Best practice when preventing ear infections:

•    Let ears dry naturally
•    Avoid cleaning the ears with cotton wool
•    Never pick or poke at the ears
•    Keep ears dry when swimming by using silicone rubber earplugs

Hearing is essential to children especially when it comes to learning and developing their social skills. There are many children’s earplugs available at Earplug Shop that are ideal for general use as well as more specific requirements such as swimming, sleeping and travelling.

A firework display can reach up to 140dB, a staggering 55dB louder than the considered ‘safe sound’.

London is one of the most popular places to go to celebrate New Year’s Eve and the London firework display is infamous across the world. As soon as we turn on the television to watch Big Ben countdown to midnight, we are greeted with a magnificent firework display that never fails to blow us away.

This year will see fireworks launched off the London Eye, which will fill the skyline across the capital. Last year the display attracted a crowd of approximately 250,000 people, but this year is set to be even bigger. For 2011, BBC Radio One DJ Nihal will be warming up the crowds ahead of the London Eye fireworks with a live set.

If you are attending this year’s event, a pair of noise ear plugs could be exactly what you are looking for. Here are a few we recommend for you:

Moldex Spark Plugs Pack of 10 Pairs – perfect for a group

Moldex Rockets x 1 Pair Without Lanyard – comes with a very convenient compact case

Moldex Spark Plugs Pocket Pack – fits nicely in your pocket

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

Christmas is a long day, with most of your time being spent entertaining guests and your children, whilst ensuring the turkey doesn’t burn and the vegetables are cooked to perfection. A lot of energy is needed throughout the day.

Bearing all of this in mind, you need to ensure you have a good night’s sleep for the chance to let Christmas Day run smoothly, but how?

At Ear Plug Shop we believe sleep and snoring ear plugs hold the answer. Sleeping ear plugs are great for blocking outside noises and with the addition of a sleeping mask, you’re sure to fall asleep and remain in deep slumber throughout the night.

We recommend you try:

Sleeping Ear Plugs

Macks Ultra SafeSound Earplugs

Macks Pillow Soft Earplugs

Alpine SleepSoft

Other Sleep Aids

Macks Dreamweaver Sleep Mask

Macks Shut Eye Shade Sleep Aid Kit

Macks Dreamgirl Sleep Mask

Ear plugs should be worn when sound levels reach 85dB and over. Wearing noise reduction ear plugs with a high NRR (noise reduction rating) will eliminate the risk of hearing loss.

It can be said that noise levels at construction sites can manage to exceed what is measured as a safe sound. Being subjected to loud sounds for a long period of time can attribute to extreme ear pain and hearing damage.

Noise ear plugs are the ideal solution for construction workers and employees who work in a noisy environment as they provide protection and allow you to work with higher concentration levels.

Katy Perry shot to fame with her hit single “I kissed a girl” and since then has become a worldwide musical phenomenon selling singles and albums that have been awarded a multi-platinum status.

Music concerts are great fun to attend with friends and family; there is a great atmosphere, brilliant music and an amazing night out. However, it can be damaging to your hearing.

Amplified rock concerts can reach approximately 110-130 db, which can damage your hearing after 3.75-30 minutes of exposure per day.

With a pair of musician ear plugs you will be able to block harmful noises, whilst letting the sounds you want to hear in. Musician ear plugs are the ideal solution for music lovers, you can drown the sound of chattering fans behind you and the screams of fanatics whilst enjoying the sound of the music and hearing conversations between your friends.

Swimming

When swimming regularly if you do not wear ear plugs you could run the risk of contracting swimmer’s ear. Swimmer’s ear is an outer ear infection, which sees your skin inflame making it painful to touch.

Swimming ear plugs are ideal for those who want to spend a lot of time in the water without running the risk of infection. They are also brilliant for those who want to concentrate on their swimming technique.

Gym

If you are a gym fanatic the noise emitted by large machinery and the music played in the room can cause serious discomfort in your ears. Research has shown that gym-goers are more likely to turn up the volume on their personal music devices while working out to drown out the noisy environment, which can cause further damage.

Noise ear plugs are the ideal solution for gym goers to drown out surrounding noises without damaging your hearing. They are also superb to use when wanting to maximise your concentration levels, giving you the chance to focus on your ambitions.