Prolonged exposure to noise is one of the leading causes of hearing loss. This type of damage is often detected too late, which means the hearing loss is usually irreversible. Luckily, there are numerous forms of protection available to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. The team at Hearing Professionals of Alabama can help you determine the best method for preserving your current hearing function and protecting it in the future.

Types of Hearing Protection

Hearing protection isn’t just for people who work, live, or play in high-noise environments. Reach out if you participate in any of these hobbies so we can help you find a solution and put your hearing health first:

Hunting or target shooting protection: allows for normal hearing until you are shooting, when a filter instantaneously closes when it recognizes damaging noise levels
Motorsports protection: designed with a hollow canal that reduces wind buffeting for under-helmet use
Dance clubs, music festivals or concerts protection: allows wearers to hear sounds accurately, but at reduced levels. Perfect for performing musicians, frequent attendees of large sporting events, flight attendants, mechanics, dental professionals, and people who work in the service industry
Swimming, surfing, or showering protection: in addition to keeping water and wind out of the ear canal, these plugs float and also provide great noise reduction for other outdoor activities
Occupational protection: allows users to stay safe in high-noise environments, such as construction sites, factory floors, or landscaping
Sleep protection: blocks out unnecessary noise so that users can get the uninterrupted rest that our bodies need! Occupational protection is a great option for people who work during non-traditional hours and sleep during the day.

Earplugs and Monitors for Musicians

Musicians and other performers need specialized hearing protection! But how can you protect your hearing and keep up with key changes? Store-bought earplugs don’t attenuate evenly, and musicians need a balanced frequency response from their earplugs.

Universal in-ear monitors (IEMs) are available over the counter and come with interchangeable foam or silicone tips that allow for a semi-custom fit. In order to protect your hearing health, consider a custom fit at Hearing Professionals of Alabama. We’ll make an impression of your ear and create a mold or IEM that is fit just for you!

For those who routinely perform in front of large audiences, participate in large sporting events, or love hitting dance clubs and festivals, IEMs offer the best that current technology has to offer. IEMs allow the user to hear music or speech while protecting their hearing from loud amps or crowd noise.

Custom Earmolds and Earplugs

Earmolds can be soft, solid or spongy, and come in a wide assortment of colors and sizes. Some options come with a filtered electronic attenuator, which protects your hearing and still allows for verbal communication, which make them a great choice in any situation where wearers need to be aware of their surroundings at all times.

Custom-made earplugs are designed to fit deeply to seal within the bony portion of your ear canal. This reduces occlusion, the resonance from a musician’s own voice that can result from lower-quality over-the-counter options. The deep-fit style allows the user to hear across all frequencies. If you want to learn more about the different options available for protecting your hearing, schedule an appointment with one our professionals!

Hunting:

Hunting, shooting and sudden noise. A filter instantaneously closes when damaging noise levels are reached. Allows essentially normal hearing at all other times.

Music:

Ideal for performing musicians and concert-goers. Also great for flight attendants, bartenders, waiters, dental professionals. Allows wearer to hear sounds accurately, but at reduced levels. Three filter options available: 9dB, 15dB or 25dB.

Swimming:

For swimming and showering – and they FLOAT! Also provide superb noise reduction.

Sleep:

Offers comfortable and uninterrupted rest. Also great for shift workers with non-traditional hours.

Motorsport:

Designed with a hollow canal for under helmet use to reduce wind buffeting.

Surf:

Designed to prevent surfer’s ear and swimmer’s ear caused by exposure to cold water and wind. The floatable material is molded with a sealed membrane spanning the sound bore that keeps cold water and air out of the ear canal, but allows for conversation and hearing while in the ear.

Occupational:

Ideal for high-noise industrial environments.

iCustom:

For use with any bud/button style earphones.

DefendEar 1:

Amplification for situational awareness, as well as noise attenuation when you pull the trigger.

DefendEar 2:

Offers two modes, game, which is optimized for intermittent shots, and clay mode, which is optimized for continued shots.

DefendEar Hunter:

Offers standard digital features and provides protection in windy environments.