The Do's and Don'ts of Earplug Use
earplugs
Earplugs have long been promoted as a way to help avoid
noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) and to protect the ears from noise trauma.
Many people use Custom Ear Plugs during sleep either because of a loud snoring spouse
or because of hypersensitivity to nighttime noises. These people are to by
admired for their dedication to their ears--hooray for you! But proper earplug
use and awareness of restrictions and care is also an important part of your
hearing health.
Earplugs are great to help protect against loud noises and
to limit exposure to work noise or annoying noises. No matter if you use foam
earplugs, custom molded, or pre-molded Custom Ear Plugs these guidelines can help you
understand the dos and don'ts of earplug use.
Do Clean or Discard
Daily
If you need to wear earplugs every day at work or nightly to
avoid noises, you want to make sure that you are either discarding foam ones
daily or are cleaning custom or pre-molded Ear Plugs for Swimming regularly. Overused and
uncleaned earplugs are susceptible to bacteria and can introduced dirt into the
ear.
In addition, earwax can cause molded and pre-molded earplugs to become
rigid, putting strain on the ear. This can cause ear infection, severe pain,
and even hearing loss. The opposite of what you are trying to do by using
earplugs. The basic rule of thumb is to discard foam earplugs daily and to
clean pre-molded or molded earplugs every day with a toothbrush and hydrogen
peroxide and soap and water mixture. Leave the Ear Plugs for Swimming out to dry or wipe dry
with a clean, dry cloth.
Don't Ignore Earwax
Earwax might seem an annoying and useless function of the
ears, but it's actually quite useful. Earwax AKA cerumen is produced by glands
in the ear and is part of the ear's natural process.
Earwax protects the skin
of the ears, lubricates, guards against bacteria, and helps clean the ears.
Typically earwax slips out or your ears, along with all the impurities, without
you even knowing it. But use of earplugs can stop up this natural process and
can lead to a buildup of earwax.
Hearing can be compromised by built up earwax, so make sure
to use Ear Wax Removal Best Practices or see a hearing health professional to
have your ears professionally cleaned and cared for. You should already be
seeing a hearing health professional annually, but below are a few telltale
signs for when to see a professional to have earwax removed.
• ear pain
• sound
distortion (your own voice sounds different)
• a feeling
of stuffiness or fullness in the ear canal
• persistent
itching
• an
unpleasant odor
• ringing
in the ears (tinnitus)
• discharge
(an oozing substance that keeps appearing)
• persistent
cough
• hearing
loss
Do Insert Properly
Earplugs that are improperly inserted aren't doing you as
much good as they could. It might seem a no-brainer to simply stuff the earplug
into your ear, but that's not good or healthy. There is actually a proper way
to insert foam earplugs. According to a pamphlet on ears put out by the CDC you
need to follow three simple rules:
1.Roll the earplug
2.Pull to open the ear. This step is
especially important. You should pull up and away on the top
of your ear with the opposite hand so the earplug can slide in easily.
3.Hold the earplug after inserting it.
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