Comprehensive List Of Various Types Of Hearing Protection Devices (Ear Muffs, Earplugs, Headphones)

More and more often you hear people talking about hearing protection devices. Well, it’s a fact that we are now, more than ever, surrounded by loud noises. Even if you are already used to them, this doesn’t mean that they are not affecting your hearing.

One of the main problems when you don’t protect your hearing as you should is hearing loss. And once it appears, there’s no way back. Despite you can control it and still have a pretty normal life, the truth is that you won’t ever recover it.

Make sure to check out our noise cancellation device reviews.

As we already mentioned, we are exposed to all different kinds of noises. Just take your way to work, for example. You probably get caught up in the traffic. This is a noise that can harm your hearing. Another one that you’re probably are already used to is the lawnmowers noise. Whenever you need to cut the grass, you should definitely use some hearing protection device. Some people also need to deal with loud environments at their workplace. And this means subjecting their hearing to sharp noises for a long period of time, every single work day. But noises aren’t only related to work. If you like to go to concerts, the noise level there is usually too high. So, it’s advisable that you also carry some hearing protection devices.

But how can you choose the best hearing protection device for you?

The truth is that there are 3 main types of hearing protection devices. Let’s take a closer look at each one:

#1: Ear Muffs:

Most ear muffs usually include a metal or a thermoplastic headband and the cups are usually cushioned with some acoustic foam. This is to make sure that the foam is able to absorb the sound waves by increasing air resistance. So, this will tend to decrease the amplitude of the waves.

Most ear muffs are adjustable which means they are usually able to fit any head size or shape. However, when you’re looking for some ear muffs for children, you should consider looking specifically for these models.

Some of the ear muffs advantages include:

• they aren’t easily lost or misplaced;
• they are designed to fit most head shapes and sizes;
• they usually have no relation with ear infections
• they can be seen far away which can be pretty helpful in a loud environment.

However, just like everything, ear muffs also have some drawbacks:

• they are usually heavy and aren’t portable;
• they aren’t very comfortable when you need to wear them in hot and humid areas as well as if you need to work in confined areas;
• in case you wear glasses, not all ear muffs will adapt and may lead to the ear muff not protecting your hearing as it should;
• when you need to use other protective equipment like helmets they may turn a bit inconvenient.

#2: Earplugs:

One of the most common places where you’ll find earplugs is when you’re visiting a factory or a construction site. Even though most workers should be using ear muffs instead, when you’re simply visiting, you’ll probably need to wear earplugs. And the reasons are very simple. Earplugs are very cheap and most of them are for using only once. So, there’s no better solution here.

However, earplugs can help to protect your hearing in many different situations. In fact, there are earplugs that are specially designed for sleeping, for shooting, for flying, among others.

Here are some of the main advantages of earplugs:

• You can carry them anywhere you go because they ate very small and lightweight;
• They can be used in confined working areas without any problems;
• They can be used in hot and humid areas, even for long hours;
• They are very convenient and versatile. You can either decide to wear only earplugs or you can wear the earplugs with ear muffs.

And here are the main disadvantages of earplugs:

• You may need some time to adjust how you put them on and take them off;
• They may irritate the ear canal and you may suffer some skin allergies;
• It’s difficult to see if someone is wearing earplugs when they are at a far distance;
• They can easily fall out;

• You need to have a lot of careful with their hygiene.

#3: Headphones:

When you think about listening to some of your favorite songs, you immediately think about headphones. However, you can use headphones to listen to an audiobook as well, for example.

Nowadays, headphones just have a lot of features. While some include the Bluetooth technology that allows you to connect them to another Bluetooth-ready device, others are wireless. Most have both features.

One of the things that are very different among the different headphones you can find on the market is their design. While some include an adjustable headband, others state that they will fit most head’s shapes and sizes. In what concerns the materials used, we have been seeing a trend for the use of the polyutherane material on the cushions because it’s hypoallergenic and incredibly soft.

The most modern and expensive headphones already include features such as the ability to take calls because they already have a built-in microphone, the controls are usually well placed on the side of one of the ear cups, they are usually foldable which allows you to take them with you everywhere you go, others are already waterproof meaning that you can take them to the gym without any problems.

There is, however, one main difference that is related with noise cancelling. While some headphones already feature an active noise cancelling, others remain with the passive noise cancelling.

As you can see, all these different types of hearing protection devices have advantages and disadvantages. The truth is that they can all help you protect your hearing. However, you need to make sure that you choose the best type for your needs. For example, if you work in a loud environment, it makes a lot more sense for you to get some ear muffs and, possibly, some earplugs to go along, then to buy headphones.