You're Losing $ with Cheap Foam Earplugs
You may be tempted to buy foam earplugs for concerts and overall noise reduction… but you’d be wasting some serious money. While popping open a new packet at a low price is attractive to some, foam earplugs are costing you money in the long run.
Am I losing money with cheap foam earplugs? In short, yes, especially if you need ear protection and noise reduction for an extended period of time. Some people reuse them until they lose shape which in turn makes it impossible for them to fit into their ears. Don’t do this.
If you’re interested in finding out how to save money on earplugs or if foam earplugs are good for concerts, dive into this article.
Foam Earplugs are Burning a Hole in your Pocket for a Few Reasons
It seems pretty extreme, but the truth is high-fidelity earplugs equipped with attenuation filters are “cheaper” in the long run.
Foam earplugs offer noise reduction, but they are designed for a short life span. They’re meant for single-use purposes. Yes, you read that right, they are designed to only be used once before removing them. And after that, it’s time to crack open another pack. That doesn’t sound like saving money, does it?
Imagine how much money you could be saving! Plus, foam is an amazing host for dirt and bacteria. Putting this into your ear canal could end up causing infection, pain, and hearing impairment in the future.
Also, some people may think that washing them is a good idea, but it’s not. Soaking them will not remove bacteria and the foam will absorb moisture, which causes them to swell. Swelling makes it difficult for them to fit and will breed more bacteria. Not good.
Another sign of needing to open another packet (other than wearing them just once) is to check if the foam re-inflates when compressing them. If they don’t, they’re no longer good for use.
Do Foam Earplugs Hurt Ears? When are they a Good Choice?
Generally speaking, foam earplugs are safe for the ears under proper care and use. They are made of soft foam and will most likely not damage your eardrums because they don’t reach deep into the ear.
Foam earplugs are a great choice for people who need them over a short amount of time, maybe an hour or two, at most. This way, you avoid chronic wax and bacteria buildup.
Others will use them more frequently for sleeping. Be careful though! Prolonged use of foam earplugs can potentially prevent wax from being cleared. If this happens, visit a doctor for a safe wax extraction.
In short, the most important aspect of using foam earplugs is to avoid infections by being as hygienic as possible and using each pair once.
High Fidelity Earplugs: What are They?
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We’ve been through it, foam earplugs aren’t as helpful if you need ear protection for an extended period of time. These disposable earplugs are designed for protection but another problem is, they are designed to block and absorb sound. This means you will experience reduced sound quality.
High fidelity earplugs, on the other hand, don’t block noise - they retain quality and clarity. They are ideal for social situations, concerts, nightclubs, and are an excellent solution for those concerned about their hearing health.
Uses for high fidelity earplugs include:
- Music festivals and nightclubs
- Performances
- Musical rehearsals
- Sports events
- Noisy offices
- Construction work
- Large scale events with high echo
- And more!
Choosing the Best Filtered & High-Fidelity Earplugs
While foam earplugs can help you reduce hearing damage, filtered earplugs can highly benefit you in terms of quality protection.
Issues you can prevent with the use of high-fidelity earplugs are hearing impairment, hearing loss, permanent ear problems such as tinnitus, and other issues. Unfortunately, these issues are usually overlooked until they are beyond the point of repair. With high-fidelity earplugs, you can protect your hearing without sacrificing comfort and sound quality.
To give you an idea, anyone that is exposed to noise above 85dB (decibels) for an extended period, can end up with a permanent hearing loss. For reference, 85dB is similar to the volume of heavy city traffic. Concerts and clubs will operate at above or around 100dB.
Damage can start after 15 minutes of prolonged exposure at certain levels.
Why Do You Need High-Fidelity Earplugs?
Believe it or not, it doesn’t take a lot of noise to damage your hearing. You’d be surprised by how specific loud activities we do day-to-day are already impacting our hearing. The safest volume range is below 75 dB. These sounds include outdoor picnics, conversations inside the house, and dinner parties with a few people.
When does ear damage begin? It starts occurring around 85dB. From here on, as volume increases, safe exposure lessens and the risk of hearing loss increases.
High fidelity earplugs are perfect for protecting your ears when you are exposed to noises from 85dB and above.
The Bottomline
It’s likely that foam earplugs are hurting your ears as well as your bank account. The best choice is a pair of quality and reusable high-fidelity earplugs. If you have questions or concerns in regards to hearing protection, get in touch!