Can Ear Protection Prevent Hearing Loss?

Ear protection can prevent hearing loss; however, you need to make sure you have the best ear protection for your purposes and wear them in the correct way. If you want to enjoy natural hearing in later life, avoid loud environments and use ear protection often.

Hearing Loss

People of any age can experience hearing loss, but it’s more common in people over fifty and people working in noisy environments. Hearing loss generally happens when the cilia in the ear canal are damaged or destroyed due to exposure to loud noises. It can also be age-related.

Hearing loss is common, but it can be avoided using appropriate ear protection in your workplace or lifestyle. Ear protection such as earplugs or earmuffs can be an effective way to prevent hearing loss, provided you use the right kind of ear protection at the right times.

Ear Protectors

There are various types of ear protectors; you can buy disposable earplugs, recyclable earplugs, custom-made earplugs, earplugs for sports and earmuffs. If you want effective ear protection, it’s important to choose the right ear protectors for your lifestyle and purposes.

Some ear protectors might be more effective for some spaces and activities; for instance, disposable earplugs are ideal for sleeping and wearing in the home but might not be as effective as earmuffs on a factory floor. Talk to an audiologist about your needs.

Ear Protector Effectiveness

Ear protectors can be very effective and protect your hearing for decades; however, you need to make sure you pick the right earplugs and wear them correctly. If you are exposed to noise levels of 70 decibels or more on a regular basis, your hearing is at risk of long-term damage.

The machines you use in your gardens, such as lawnmowers and trimmers, operate at about 90 decibels on average. When you consider that earplugs reduce the decibels levels by between 15-30, you can see how they bring loud machines down to acceptable levels for short periods.

Wearing Ear Protectors

The effectiveness of ear protectors is determined by the type of protectors you buy and the way you wear them. If you are operating a machine and you remove the earplugs or earmuffs for a minute, it significantly decreases their performance. Ear protectors need to be worn correctly.

After you buy the best earplugs for your purposes, follow the instructions to ensure that you get the best performance from them. If you are unsure how to wear them, contact the manufacturer or talk to an audiologist. Always put your protectors on before starting up the machine.

Preventing Hearing Loss

The main cause of premature hearing loss is remaining in a loud environment for long periods; this destroys the cilia in your ears. If you work in a noisy environment, always use hearing protection, but if you find yourself in one, consider leaving if possible, for the benefit of your long-term hearing. Past fifty, your hearing might become less effective without protection.