Top Things to Know Before Buying Ear Plugs

Approved by our expert

Rakhee Chandra

Member of Audiology Australia

Rakhee Chandra is an audiologist and her mission is to use better hearing as a vehicle to leave a positive mark on the world we share.

Read her bio

Who sells ear plugs?

There are two main categories of ear plugs; non-customized ear plugs and customized ear plugs.

Non-customized ear plugs are not tailored to an individual ear shape but may come in a variety of sizes. These ear plugs are available for purchase from chemists, supermarkets and over the Internet.

Customized ear plugs are made specifically to fit precisely in a person’s ears and requires an impression of the ear to be taken, in order to build the ear plug to fit the persons ear. Customized ear plugs can be ordered and purchased from hearing services providers and are arranged through an audiologist or audiologist.

What are ear plugs made from?

Non-customized ear plugs are made from a variety of materials, including silicon, foam or wax. These materials are flexible and subsequently, the plugs are usually rolled up and then allowed to expand in the ear.

Customized ear plugs are usually made from materials such as acrylic, crylit or silicon. These materials are not flexible and will be shaped specifically to a person’s ear.

What types of ear plugs are available?

There are a variety of situations whereby ear plugs can be used, and the situation in which you want to wear your will ear plugs will determine what is the best option for you:

All of these types of ear plugs are available as customized and non-customized, but the customized options will always deliver better protection.

Ear plugs for sleeping: these are a solid plug, designed to attenuate unwanted environmental sounds and provide a good night’s sleep. They are also good for other situations such as the train or on an airplane.
Ear plugs for music: these ear plugs have an attenuation filter built into them, designed to work across all frequencies, so that the perception of music is not distorted, only safely attenuated. You can choose the strength of the attenuation filter, usually ranging from -10 decibels to -25 decibels.
Ear plugs for swimming: these are a solid plug, designed to protect the ear canal from water and recurrent infections as a result of exposure to water. They are suitable for swimmers, surfers, people with a history of ear infections or people with confirmed ear drum perforations.
Ear plugs for communication: these are a solid plug which reduce outside noise while enhancing and delivering crystal clear sound and voice directly into your ear. They are designed to fit a wide range of devices such as iPods, mobile telephones, security radios, in-ear monitors and MP3 players. They are suitable for joggers, musicians, people who listen to music on a music device, security guards, news presenters, etc.
Ear plugs for work: these are a solid plug which are designed to protect the hearing against loud sources of noise. They are suitable for people who work in noisy workplaces (e.g. construction sites, military/aircraft operators, music goers (e.g. loud concerts/live music).

Do ear plugs work?

Ear plugs do work and can be very effective, but it is important to consider several factors when purchasing the most suitable ear plugs for you:

What are the ear plugs required for?
Will they be worn on a regular basis or are they for one-time use?
What size are the ears? Are there any difficulties keeping products like air pods in the ears?
Are there any allergic reactions to materials such as silicone or foam?

It is also important that all ear plugs are inserted correctly into the ears and are not removed when in use (e.g. in the presence of loud intensity noise).