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Types of Ear Plugs

Earplugs are used to protect the ear or prevent distraction. They protect against loud noises and the intrusion of water, dirt and wind. They are inserted into the ear canal, but only a short distance, to prevent damaging the eardrum. The noise reduction rating (NRR) measures the number of decibels that the plug reduces noise by.

  1. Disposable Foam

    • You roll disposable foam (memory foam) earplugs into tight rods before inserting. Inside your ear canal they expand to fill gaps through which sound can attenuate. They reduce outside noise by about 30 to 33 decibels. For comparison, they would entirely block out soft music playing at 30 db. They lose their memory property with time and become too dry to expand properly. Pathogenic bacteria can grow in the porosity, so you should discard them on a regular basis.

    Soft Silicone

    • You press soft silicone earplugs against the opening of the ear instead of inserting them into the canal. Their adhesive quality holds them in place. With time, they lose their adhesion and must be discarded. Soft silicone blocks out about 21 to 25 decibels of sound.

    Hard Silicone

    • Hard silicone earplugs have flexible flanges that expand to catch the ear canal, holding the plug in place. They don’t lose adhesion like soft silicone and don’t lose their ability to expand like memory foam. Common uses include swimming, loud concerts and airport noise protection. Such short-term use keeps any discomfort from being a significant issue.

      Some flanged earplugs come with attachable filters to block out some frequencies more than others. The tube in the center even allows in certain frequencies to allow conversation. Flanged, hard-silicone plugs reduce noise by about 25 decibels.

    Custom

    • Custom molded earplugs are preferable for long-term use. They are more comfortable and do not penetrate as far into the canal as other plugs. Custom inelastic earplugs irritate the temporomandibular joint less than disposable earplugs; such irritation can cause pain after prolonged earplug use. Custom earplugs should be fitted in the position in which they will be used, because the ear canal changes shape and size based on the body’s position. For example, lying down tends to compress the ear canal.

    Earplugs For Flight

    • Some earplug makers claim to prevent the injury sustained from the inability to equilibrate pressure between the outer and middle ear. The American Hearing Research Foundation has not found such earplugs to give such protection over other earplugs.

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