Noise exposure is one of the most common causes of hearing loss in the United States. It doesn’t matter if the exposure happens at work or at play; your ears need protection from sounds over 70 decibels. If you must shout to be heard, the noise level is dangerous to your hearing.
Protect your hearing with custom earplugs and earmolds from Two Rivers Hearing. Talk to the audiologist about your exposure to noise and get a custom recommendation for your hearing protection needs.
Custom earmolds
Custom earmolds are made to fit the unique contours of your ear. Just like fitting a hearing aid, the audiologist takes a cast of your ear, and the manufacturer uses this cast to create your custom earmold. The casting process is painless and only takes a few moments. If you find that off-the-shelf earplugs are uncomfortable or don’t fit well, custom earmolds are the perfect solution.
At Two Rivers Hearing, you will find a variety of earmolds in many sizes, colors and types. There are earmolds made from solid material and others are made from soft material. Earmolds may fill the entire bowl of the ear (full shell) or just a lower portion of the ear (half shell).
Special earmolds for gun enthusiasts or those that work in noisy environments like airplanes include a filtered attenuator. This allows you to hear conversation while reducing damaging noise levels.
Custom earplugs
As the name implies, earplugs are worn in the ear canal. Custom earplugs are made from a mold of your ear canal, so they fit every bump and curve that’s unique to you. The casting process is done in the Two Rivers Hearing office by the audiologist and takes just a few minutes. Custom earplugs fit more comfortably and can be worn for longer periods of time than most off-the-shelf solutions.
Some earplugs are made from solid material, while others are soft and more sponge-like. Earplugs can have handles that make it easy to insert and remove the earplugs and cords to make it easier to keep up with them when not in use.
Who needs hearing earmolds or earplugs?
You don’t need to be exposed to damaging decibel levels to benefit from wearing earmolds or earplugs. Water sports enthusiasts wear hearing protection to keep wind and water out to reduce swimmer’s and surfer’s ear.
Hunters wear electronic earmolds that amplify background noise while suppressing the sound of gunfire. Special hearing protection is available for sporting clay enthusiasts as well.
Shift workers and frequent travelers rely on earmolds and earplugs to create a quiet environment conducive to sleep, no matter where they are.
Musicians’ earplugs
Musical artists have unique hearing protection needs. The amplified sound of voices and instruments causes hearing loss. Unfortunately, this is why many professional musicians must live with hearing loss. However, special musicians’ earplugs protect hearing and still allow the artist to perform. Traditional hearing protection distorts sound as it blocks decibels. This type of protection doesn’t allow the musician to hear clearly, and they can’t perform their best. Musicians’ earplugs block amplified sounds without distortion. In-ear monitors allow performers to hear sound without amplification or crowd noise.