What'd You Say? I Need To Protect My Hearing?
My very first concert was Motley Crue, and Guns n Roses were opening for them, while out on the Girls Girls Girls tour in '87. I was 12. I recall coming home from that awesome experience with my ears a ringing, and not really a care in the world. What a great night that was. Woke the next day, ears still ringing, and went to school. I was too young to care then. It was all about the loud music, the excitement, the experience of the thunderous music filling the arena, Tommy Lee's drum cage twisting and spinning in the air, and Vince Neil riding a motorcycle out onto the stage.
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| Hearing Protection Required |
As I got on in my teens, I was still going to concerts, now most seemed to be at a club, with the occasional big arena tour coming through the area. Music still loud, I didn't wear hearing protection.
It wasn't until my 20's I believe when I got serious about protecting my hearing. Too many concerts to name, I am now in my 40's still going to shows and playing in clubs, but live with a constant ringing in my ears and lord only knows what frequencies I can no longer hear in all their glory.
Hearing Loss
Constant, and even occasional exposure to loud noises can trigger temporary to permanent hearing loss or damage. I am no doctor, nor am I going to go into how all this works. I am only telling you that having the inability to hear certain things, or not to be able to hear anything at all, is not something you should take lightly, especially since it can be prevented in many cases.
Just back in 2016, Brian Johnson of AC/DC had to stop touring and being in loud arenas due to the damage sustained to his hearing. As a musician myself, not to mention just a human being, I value my hearing, and all of my senses.
I also have worked in loud data center environments, and I am sure that has taken a toll on my hearing as well. Many people don't think that even loud environments at work can have a negative affect on your hearing. Check to see if your work environment is above OSHA's standards for noise. You can see more on the matter at https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/noisehearingconservation/. If you find that your work environment is not suitable, ask your employer to provide adequate hearing protection.
Different Hearing Protection Options
Over the Ear (Ear Muffs)
Over the years, I have used a few different options for hearing protection, some good, some not so good. There are various things to consider when looking for hearing protection, and this may also depend on what you are using them for, and for how long each session you are wearing the protection for.
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| Over Ear Hearing Protection |
Gun ranges, construction sites, and other various work areas may provide an over the ear hearing protection option. Looks very similar to an over the ear headphone setup. Again, it is important to wear hearing protection when in loud working environments as well, or where your hobbies get loud.
This type of hearing protection is not terribly expensive, and can be gotten from a slew of different retailers, both local and online.
Generic Foam Earplugs
This type of hearing protection can be obtained from your local Walgreens or CVS, and are typically only a few dollars for a decent amount. This type can vary in the amount of decibels that they reduce, so ensure you get a package that does a good amount of reduction. In most cases, you'll find these rated for 22dB or higher, and it should be listed right on the package.
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| Foam Earplugs |
I bought a 100 pack of these for under $15 at Walgreens. I keep these around for friends and family that come out to shows, or for people that forgot their hearing protection and know they should wear them.
The foam earplugs I have are rated for 32dB of noise reduction. They do provide a decent amount and having worn this type to many of concerts, I have never had an issue with my ears ringing, more than usual, after a show. I have also used this type to sleep in large cities where traffic is going at all hours.
The drawback I have found for these is just wearing them for long periods of time. I find that after each bands set, I need to walk outside or to an area with less noise and remove them. They get a bit uncomfortable after a while of wearing them. Other than that, they certainly do work as intended.
Reusable Earplugs
Middle of the Road
I have a pair of reusable earplugs as well that I picked up years ago. They are Etymotic ETY-Plugs, which are hi-fidelity earplugs. These were still fairly inexpensive, less than $20 on Amazon, and a bit more comfortable to wear as they had different size options
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| Etymotic ETY-Plugs |
. These I found to be better for longer use with a bit more comfort. The real issue I had with these is that they are only a 20dB rated noise reducer. As well, the ends of the plugs do stick out, which isn't an issue unless you are among hundreds or thousands of unruly metal heads being tossed around like a rag doll.
These are still a great option if you want something that is reusable for hearing protection, doesn't look like a set of cans on your head, and is more comfortable to wear.
The Best Option, For Me
Last year, I decided that I wanted to obtain the ultimate in comfort for hearing protection. I went to an ENT doctor's office in town for allergy related issues, and found out they had an audiologist on staff that could do custom fit hearing protection.
The process was fairly simple. She took a plastic syringe, you know the kind that looks like for injecting a turkey, and filled it with putty. She then put two pieces of foam in my ear to keep the putty from going too far into the ear canal. The putty was let to sit for about 5 minutes and then she removed everything from my ears.
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| Custom Fit Hearing Protection |
These are by far the most comfortable to wear, as they should be. They fit to me and no one else. There are different colored markings on each side to let you know what ear it is for, however I have found that no two ear canals are alike, so you'll know right away if you've got the wrong one for a particular ear.
These are also the most expensive at $150. I believe it was worth the expense in the end. The kit that came back had the ear plugs, the case, and the original molds. Having the molds still allows me the option to send off for custom in ear monitors if I ever decide to go that route. I have been using these for almost a year now, and I can say that I wish I had gone this route to begin with.
I'll Say It Again
No matter what option you decide to go with, you need to protect your hearing. Imagine not being able to hear what people say when they're talking to you? What about not being able to hear the voices of your children or grandchildren? Not being able to enjoy music? What kind of life would that be? We all take our senses for granted. There are many people in the world with genetic loss of sense that would love to have a fraction of what we have. So take care of your hearing.
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