When should you wear ear plugs?

Charlotte Jones | Published 02 April 2018 | Updated 16 May 2024 | 3 mins read

You always hear people say how nice it is to have some peace and quiet, when all it takes is a pair of the right ear plugs to give you a moment of serenity at any time! Ear plugs are normally associated with being worn in high-volume situations, but there are many reasons why ear plugs can come in handy day-to-day. Read on to find out more.

Why you should wear ear plugs

Prevention is the best form of treatment for hearing loss, so wearing ear plugs once in a while will benefit you for years to come.

Did you know that noise-induced hearing loss is the second most significant cause of hearing loss after age? So the more you can do to protect your hearing, the more you can reduce your risk of hearing loss later.

But the benefits of wearing ear plugs don’t just stop there. In fact, ear plugs can be worn for a whole range of activities, to not only help reduce the sound levels around you, but to prevent certain ear infections too.

Three places you should wear your ear plugs

Ear plugs for swimming

Swimming is a great way to keep fit or to keep cool in the warmer months. But spending too much time in the water can leave your ears vulnerable to infection, including swimmer’s ear. Swimmer’s ear is an infection commonly caused by too much water, or trapped water, in your ear canal which causes redness and discharge from your ear. Custom ear plugs for swimming prevent water from getting in your ears, so you can enjoy swimming without a second thought.

Ear plugs for sleeping

Whether you live in a bustling town, or sleep next to a chronic snorer, you’re likely one of the around 30% of the UK population not getting enough sleep. Sleep deprivation is not only exhausting but is shown to increase risks of conditions including diabetes and heart disease. Sleeping with ear plugs may sound uncomfortable, but now you can get ear plugs malleable and comfortable enough that you can enjoy a good night’s sleep without even knowing that they’re there. If you’re curious, talk to your audiologist about ear plugs for sleeping in.

* Please note: No ear plugs or hearing protection can remove all sounds. This is due to the fact that we also hear through our mastoid bone and when sound is loud enough it bypasses the ear canal and is audible through our skull.

Ear plugs for live music

Wearing ear plugs in loud situations pretty much goes without saying. Any sound higher than 85 decibels for prolonged periods of time can gradually affect your hearing – roughly the sound of your average food blender! So, if you play music, or just love going to see it live, keep some ear plugs handy and try to give your ears around 18 hours’ rest afterwards.

How to get ear plugs?

Ear plugs are available from a variety of retailers. However, for maximum comfort and protection, why not have some ear plugs made bespoke for you?

At The Hearing Care Partnership, our expert audiologists are on hand to help you find the perfect ear plugs and hearing protection to suit your needs, whatever they may be, including custom ear plugs.

To get your very own custom ear plugs, book an appointment at your nearest practice today. Call us on 0800 52 00 546 or book yours online.

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