Protecting Your Hearing

How to Prevent Hearing Loss

Exposure to excessive noise during work or leisure activities can increase a person’s risk of hearing loss and contribute to worsening an already existing hearing problem. A continuous exposure of 85 decibels (dB) will begin to have a detrimental effect on your hearing. An example of this would be the noise of a street with constant heavy traffic. If the exposure to loud noise lasts for a long time, the cells responsible for our sense of hearing will be irreversibly damaged. Audiologists consider exposure to loud music, such as a rock concert or via headphones, to be particularly dangerous since the sound intensity can sometimes reach 110 – 120 dB. The traumatic effect of a sudden loud sound such as an explosion can also permanently damage hearing.

Other activities that may cause hearing loss over time include: use of a personal radio/CD player/stereo at a high volume; use of firearms; operating heavy machinery; use of power tools. The good news is that the noise in these cases is usually easily managed by turning down the volume or by wearing ear protection. Federal regulations govern allowable noise levels in the workplace, as well as the employer’s role in providing ear protection. More information on this subject can be found at OSHA. In addition to using ear protection, those who are regularly exposed to noise should have their hearing tested.

Certain medications are toxic to the ear. If you have a hearing loss, be sure to inform your doctor of your condition before beginning any new medications. There may be instances where other medications which are not toxic to the ear can be substituted.

How loud is too loud?
A general rule of thumb is if you have to raise your voice to be heard over the music/noise, it is too loud. According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, noises above 85 decibels can cause hearing damage.

Ear protection
Since there is no cure for noise-induced hearing loss, prevention is the sensible alternative. Modern devices which protect your hearing, from commercially available earplugs to custom-made earmolds with various filter systems, can give effective protection against noise.

If you are exposed to continuous noise in your leisure activities or at work, contact us for advice on the latest methods of hearing protection which would provide the most benefit and best suit your hearing needs.

Electronic Earplugs

Custom Electronic Ears

Designed for hunters and shooters who need amplification as well as hearing protection. All Electronic Ear products include Wind Noise Reduction and eliminate feedback providing the most comfortable and state-of-the art hearing protection on the market today.

Designed to provide you with superior wind noise reduction, providing clarity in situations that matter most
Eliminates annoying feedback or noise to ensure a virtually whistle free experience
Compact and easy to wear throughout the day, unlike bulky and uncomfortable earmuffs or earplugs

BTE Electronic Ears
Worn behind the ear, the Electronic Ear BTE weighs less than 1.4 oz. and features a low-battery indicator tone. Conforming eartips create a comfortable seal while providing superb attenuation properties.

Designed to provide you with superior wind noise reduction, providing clarity in situations that matter most
Eliminates annoying feedback or noise to ensure a virtually whistle free experience
Compact and easy to wear throughout the day, unlike bulky and uncomfortable earmuffs or earplugs

Non-Electronic Custom Earplugs

Full Shell Custom Plugs with Acoustic Filters
Custom fit earplugs with acoustic filters provide outstanding noise protection for a variety of recreational and occupational environments while allowing you to carry on coversation. The corded option allows wearers to place the plugs over their necks when they’re not in use.

Full Shell Solid Plugs
Custom fit solid earplugs provide outstanding noise protection for a variety of recreational and occupational environments. The corded option allows wearers to place the plugs over their necks when they’re not in use.

Sleeping Earplugs
The sleeping earplug is available in different styles including completely-in-the-canal (CIC) and in-the-canal (ITC). It also includes a pull string for easy removal. The perfect complement to the perfect night’s rest, our sleeping earplug is soft enough to provide a comfortable sleep while effortlessly diffusing background noise.

AquaSeal Swim Earpieces
Originally designed for use while surface swimming or showering to prevent moisture from entering the ear canal. Swim molds are a healthy and effective way to minimize the chance for ear infections and keep most water from entering the ear. Available in a variety of different colors and color combinations, with added options such as handles, cords or a combination of both.

Motorcyclists Earpieces
Designed primarily for motorcyclists to wear under a helmet to help eliminate wind noise, the 4RT is made in our soft vinyl material and features a hollow canal style for greatest comfort. Low profile, canal style earpieces feature a handy removal filament.

Musicians Molds
Custom Musician molds offer good attenuation, but also tend to muffle the sound. So do compressible foam plugs. Etymotic Research has developed earplugs that address this problem. Musicians will find the ER-9 and ER-15 attenuators useful in reducing discomfort without sacrificing clarity and the ER-25 attenuator is even more useful to percussionists and rock musicians.

iPod and Cell Phone Earbuds Kalispell Montana For iPod and Cell Phone Users
I spend a lot of my time listening to my iPod™ but the little earbuds start to hurt after awhile. They are not very comfortable and when I go running they actually fall out and I am constantly repositioning them! The truth is, “bud” styles allow so much noise from the environment to enter your ears and the sound that you want to hear bleeds out into the cosmos that you turn the volume even higher to combat that noise. Studies have shown that “bud” wearers typically turn their MP3 players up to 120dB, safe to your ears for just seconds. But with custom-made plugs that can be used on either your iPod™ (or other MP3 player) or your cell phone, users tend to leave the volume much lower, a safer volume of 80-85dB. With these plugs it is safe to wear your headphones for hours.

With the ER-9, ER-15, or the ER-25 Musician’s Earplugs:

Sound quality is clearer and more natural.
Fidelity of original sound is preserved
Fatigue associated with noise exposure is reduced
The world doesn’t sound muffled

Personal Custom Earpieces

Attaches to the earbuds provided with Portable radios, Cells phones, Mp3 players etc. The earphone is pressure fit into the mold and provides increased comfort as compared with the ear buds normally supplied with such devices.

Dentists

Help protect your hearing
Allow you to communicate with your patients
Prevent noise fatigue
Prevent loss of hearing
Promote hearing health
Help protect your hearing while allowing you to communicate with your patients
Dentistry Offices
Dentists
Dental Assistants
Dental Hygienists
Dental Technicians

Other Personal Custom Earpieces

Ear Muffs

Ear Muffs Pro 300 Kalispell Montana

Pro 300

The Pro Series Advantage has incredible performance.

You do not have to be a competitive shooter or hunting fanatic to appreciate the advantage of Pro Ears. The Pro Series will increase the enjoyment and improve the performance for the hunting or shooting enthusiast whose occasional outing is as important to them as the national championships are to the competitive shooter. The natural sound of the Pro Series is almost as good as the Gold Series and is better than any other active hearing enhancement product on the market. The biggest difference in sound between the Pro Series and Gold Series is a longer attack time of 5.5 milliseconds versus 1.5 milliseconds for the Gold Series.
Pro Mag Gold NRR 33 Kalispell Montana