Hearing Protection
Life can be noisy! Loud music, construction work, industrial noise, and hunting are all common sources of noise exposure. If you're regularly exposed to loud noise, you could be at risk of noise-induced hearing loss unless you take steps to protect your ears. Fortunately, there are various ways to safeguard your hearing in these different environments.
One effective method of preserving your hearing is by using custom earpieces. These earpieces can be tailored to suit specific activities such as motorcycling, working in noisy industrial settings, hunting, enjoying music, swimming, or even sleeping. The process of creating a custom earpiece begins with taking an impression of your ear. This impression is then sent to a manufacturer who crafts the earmold. Once the custom earpiece is ready, we'll ensure it fits perfectly and demonstrate how to insert it correctly.
SoundGear Phantom
are custom fit electronic hunting hearing protection that are rechargeable with Bluetooth
Noise Plugs
are solid silicone to block as much noise as possible
Impulse Plugs
are custom fit hunting protection plugs with an impulse filter
Swim Plugs
prevent water from entering your ears if you have a myringotomy tube or are prone to outer ear infections
Musician Plugs
have a filter for flat attenuation across frequencies
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Noise-induced hearing loss is a type of permanent sensorineural hearing loss that occurs from noise exposure. It can happen very quickly at extremely high levels of noise (e.g. a gunshot or an explosion) or more gradually with steady long-term noise (e.g. using loud machinery at work).
Noise-exposure has been shown to damage hearing in several ways. One of the earliest signs of noise damage is tinnitus - a ringing, buzzing, roaring, or other noise in the ears or head. Sometimes tinnitus can be temporary, but over time it is likely to become permanent. Noise exposure can also manifest as a temporary hearing loss, also known as a temporary threshold shift. This is when your hearing sounds muffled after loud noise, but then it returns to normal about 16-48 hours later. Even though your hearing seems to return to normal, research suggests that there is subclinical damage that has already happened at this point. A permanent threshold shift is when your hearing gets muffled, but doesn’t recover later. With very loud or repeated noise exposure, a permanent threshold shift becomes very likely.
If you are already experiencing tinnitus or any other signs of hearing loss, see an audiologist for a hearing test. A hearing test can reveal many of the effects of noise exposure and help guide treatment. If you have noise-induced hearing loss, hearing aids will help you hear better. If your hearing loss appears to be work related, we can show you how to put in a claim for noise-induced hearing loss to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.
Hearing Conservation
Hearing protection at work is mandatory when noise levels are at or above 85 dBA over an 8 hour shift. Hearing conservation programs at workplaces can mitigate the effects of noise on employees. This can be done by making workplace modifications to reduce noise levels, modifying lengths of exposure for workers, educating employees about the risks of noise exposure, and providing comfortable and adequate noise protection for employees. Hearing should also be monitored to ensure that the hearing conservation program is effective.