Exposure to loud noise can cause permanent damage to our ears, particularly at high frequencies.  The source of loud noise varies but can include lawnmowers, concerts, loud music, construction or farming equipment, factory noise, mechanical noise, and firearms.  High-frequency hearing loss can make understanding speech in groups and background noise difficult.

It is important to be proactive in preventing damage to our ears from loud noise.  There are several options for hearing protection.  Over-the-ear ear muffs and foam earplugs are effective solutions that can be purchased from retail stores.  If these options are not practical or do not fit well into the ear canal, custom-made hearing protection options are available.

Sentinel

• Custom made to fit each ear specifically
• Solid silicone earplug, available in a variety of colours
• Noise Reduction Rating of up to 26 dB (CSA Class A & AL)
• A good option when attenuation of sound is most important, and hearing speech is not as important

Noise Breaker

• Custom made to fit each ear specifically
• Fills the concha bowl and has a vent containing a small filter
• Noise Reduction Rating of up to 20 dB (CSA Class B)
• A good option when attenuation of sound is necessary, as well as audibility of some low frequencies

Musician’s earplugs

• Available in 9, 15, and 25 dB attenuation levels
• Custom made earplugs, available in a variety of colours
• Help to protect ears by reducing the intensity (volume) of the sound, while maintaining the ratio of bass to treble.  This allows music to sound rich, and not muffled (as can sometimes be the case with the use of foam earplugs).
• ER-25 musician’s earplugs might be best for a drummer, whereas ER-15 musician’s earplugs are recommended for vocalists
• Especially important for musicians, DJs, and music enthusiasts, in general, to prevent high-frequency hearing loss due to loud noise exposure