Hearing Protection

Sudden or prolonged exposure to noise is the number one cause of permanent hearing loss. But this form of hearing loss is completely preventable with the appropriate hearing protection. Talk to the audiologist at The Hearing Center at York ENT about your hearing exposure. You’ll be happy to learn that custom hearing protection is comfortable enough for hours of wear, provides superior protection, and is more affordable than you think. Whether you need hearing protection on the job, enjoy motorsports, hunting or hobbies with power tools, or just need some quiet for a good night’s sleep, The Hearing Center at York ENT can help.  

Over-the-counter earplugs offer protection, but they usually don’t fit well, so they are uncomfortable and don’t block noise as well as they should. Custom earplugs and earmolds are the perfect solutions for personalized needs.

Custom earmolds

Custom earmolds are made from a cast of your ear bowl and the top of the ear canal. The Hearing Center at York ENT creates a cast in under 30 minutes and it is completely non-invasive.

The cast is used to create a custom earmold from a variety of materials, and many are available in a rainbow of colors. Some earmolds are solid, while others are made from soft material. Full-shell earmolds are generally worn for high-level noise exposure, and half-shell earmolds are for mid-level noise exposure. Talk to the audiologist about your noise exposure and you will get a professional recommendation for hearing protection that’s right for you.

Some earmolds utilize an attenuator to allow you to hear conversation and some background noise while still blocking damaging decibels. These are popular with musicians, firearms enthusiasts and those that work in noisy environments like pilots and airline stewards.

Custom earplugs

Custom earplugs are worn in the ear canal. Like custom earmolds, The Hearing Center at York ENT will make a cast of your ear canal to ensure a perfect fit. Earplugs can be made with a solid or soft material. Handles and cords make it easy to insert, remove and keep up with your earplugs on the job or at play. Swimmer’s earplugs even float!

Custom earplugs are a comfortable solution to creating a quiet sleeping environment. They are perfect for night shift workers and frequent travelers, especially those on redeye flights.

Musician earplugs and monitors

Musicians need special hearing protection. Not only do they need protection from amplified voices and instruments, but they also need to hear sound clearly without distortion. Standard earplugs attenuate high frequencies more than low frequencies, and this changes the sound the musician hears. That’s not good quality sound for amateurs or professionals.

However, earplugs made especially for musicians reduce the decibel level of the sound without distortion. And in-ear monitors replace stage monitors, so the musician hears the music without amplification.

The Hearing Center at York ENT provides a selection of hearing protection devices for musicians and other performing artists.

 
Hunting Ear Plugs

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 Hearing Plugs

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.

Swim Plugs

Swimming:

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

Sleep Plugs

Sleep:

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

Motorsport Plugs

Motorsport:

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

Surfer Plugs

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 Plugs

Occupational:

Ideal for high-noise industrial environments.

Custom Ear Buds

iCustom:

For use with any bud/button style earphones.

DefendEar 1

DefendEar 1:

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

DefendEar 2

DefendEar 2:

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

DefendEar Hunter

DefendEar Hunter:

Offers standard digital features and provides protection in windy environments.