The Benefits Of Custom Earplugs

Submitted by: Shaun Thornburgh

The human ear is a delicate and complex piece of machinery. The outer ear or pinna catches sound waves. Its shape consists of a number of curves that allow you to determine which direction the sound is coming from. The sound bounces off the pinna in different ways according to the location and direction of the sound. Once the sound waves travel into the ear canal they vibrate the tympanic membrane more commonly known as the eardrum. The eardrum is a cone-shaped piece of skin that is around 10mm wide which is held rigid and taut by the tensor tympani muscle so that any part of it can react to a sound wave. Hair cells in the inner ear convert the sound waves into electrical impulses that travel to the brain.

Damage to the hair cells can cause Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Once these cells are damaged they cannot grow back. Damage can occur in one of two ways; exposure to a to an intense impulse sound such as an explosion, or repeated exposure to loud sounds such as the music in a night-club or machinery in a workshop.

The loudness of sound waves is measured in decibels. Bearable levels of sound are around 40 80 decibels and anything over that level can quickly damage the delicate system. A normal conversation registers around 60 decibels while city traffic can reach up to 85 decibels. Long or repeated exposure to levels above 85 decibels can cause damage to the hair cells and in turn causes hearing loss. Firearms and motorbikes, for example, both emit sounds at around 120 150 decibels. Nightclub music also falls into this bracket, as does the noise emitted in workshops.

Because each person s ear canal is slightly different in shape – some forming s or z bends – using regular earplugs may not be entirely effective. Custom earplugs are designed to fit into an ear canal of any shape and offer full protection from excessive decibels. Those in jobs where the surrounding noise exceeds 85 decibels, either continuously or intermittently, would be well advised to source a pair of custom earplugs.

Custom earplugs also offer a comfort factor that regular earplugs do not. Incorrectly sized earplugs can push air into the ear canal as they are inserted, increasing air pressure within and causing discomfort. Similarly when they are withdrawn, the trapped air can be expelled suddenly causing a popping sensation that is also uncomfortable. Custom earplugs allow air to maintain a balance of pressure inside and outside the ear, whilst offering good protection against high decibel levels.

For some, using regular earplugs is simply not an option; those in the music industry need to be able to hear sounds accurately even though it may be being played at excessive levels. There are specialist earplugs available that can reduce the levels of decibels that are permitted into the ear canal whilst maintaining a clarity and accuracy of sound. These earplugs feature a small diaphragm that runs through the centre of the plug so that treble and bass sound frequencies are dampened as equally as higher frequencies but with no loss of sound quality.

The human ear is a delicately-constructed organ that needs to be protected within certain environments. Using custom earplugs will offer you peace of mind in knowing that you are taking the best steps available to ensure that your hearing will last as long as possible.

About the Author: Ear Plug Shop offers an extensive range of earplugs to help you reduce background noise, block harmful noise or even seal out water. Visit

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Source:

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