Properly Insert Earplugs For Better Protection

@SoaringDisbelief: My experiences in machine shops and on shooting ranges would indicate that most people don't understand this. This is why many people don't wear earplugs, since they "don't decrease the noise that much".

wutzu

@sepinho: I've never seen anyone do this, much less done it myself. It makes sense this way, but I don't think many people actually know this. Good post.

SoaringDisbelief

@hoffy97, Too bad all the other pedestrians and motorists you drive by really aren't given that choice. If it's too loud for you, it's too loud for them too.

SanchaliJagabat

@EnzoFX: As long as we primarily have combustion engines on lawnmowers. I mean, I've seen the plug-in electrics, but I'm also seen a few dopes run over their own extension cords. I mean, I've seen cordless electric mowers for sale too, but I haven't seen them at a competitive (to their gas counterpart) price yet.
Anyway, operating a gas mower is notoriously bad for your hearing, it's a good activity for which to wear properly inserted earplugs.

@moe52: If the right way isn't obvious, then why is it printed neatly on all the packages of earplugs I purchase?

Jacob_Grimm

@bomjumaku: If you can wrap the cord over and behind your ears then that will solve the problem.

OMG! Memez! (Dafrety)

@fispaul: Especially the ones with the rubber that (block noise). Those are impossible to wear.

meow-mixer

When are we just going to make products that aren't as loud! Are we forever forced to rely on ear plugs?

EnzoFX

@sepinho: that's like putting instructions on a box of toothpicks

Two comments: First for all the scoffers, no, the right way to insert earplugs is not obvious. Not sure why you need to act superior.

Second: Yes, the same idea applies to earbuds, especially the in-ear type. If you stretch the ear canal and insert the bud well enough to achieve a somewhat air-tight seal, you get much better bass. Reason is that a tight seal prevents the sound waves from the back of the bud from cancelling the sound coming from the business end.

I have earplugs in my ears every day.

Easy way to make sure you have a good seal. Open your ear canal as far as you can with your facial muscles (your eyebrows will raise). If when you do this you start hearing a barrage of midrange noises you have a bad seal. If the sound does not open up or change when you do this you have a great seal.

@an amazing selection of earplugs. I take a set of Etymotics everywhere I go.

@GirafficPark: I can't vouch for NC headphones, but the Active Noise Reduction head sets are worth every penny in the cockpit of a Cessna 172. I am a student pilot, and the training head phones do not have any noise cancellation. I picked up a Lightspeed ZULU headset, and I was absolutely blown away by the difference it makes.

DualReaktor

@colorebel:

I figure used ones would be better, or lit ones.

learned how to do this at the shooting range while i was at the army. nowadays i use it mostly with shure and etymotic headphones or with plugs at concerts...

and at concerts is where i see the plugs only half in with most of the people. so this tip definately is necessary.

Tim Schönfeld

somebody misspelled "vacuum".

iSmithx

@[www.ferret.com.au]

Make sure you don't insert earplugs that far if you are traveling on a plane, or if you do, to take them out during ascents and descents. Blocking the ear that much prevents the pressure from equalizing properly and will cause terrible pain.

Commercial planes will have the least affect because their pressurization difference is only about 8,000 ft, but private planes can't pressurize that well, so be warned.

I keep a few sets of earplugs for "just in case". Each of my two normal carry-ons has a pair, and there's a set in my laptop travel backpack as well. However, the ones that most often get used are the ones in my camping backpack... trying to sleep when there's a snoring Scoutmaster in the next tent over is something I only had to do once - bought a 12-pack of earplugs when I got home and have been fine since.

TatumKaplog

I've used a number of different earplugs and by far, the best for me have been Hearos. There's no way I could sleep otherwise with the upstairs neighbors' floor that sounds like it's splitting and cracking everywhere they step. Oh, and if there are nights when they're not just walking around their bedroom, I put on noise-canceling headphones (with the earplugs) and listen to music to sleep. Sounds blissful, right?

larriecampbell

I would personally recommend a product called "Bioears". They are made of a soft silicon putty that you mold over the end of your ear canal. I have found these to reduce sound better than foam earplugs and find them more comfortable (or at least *different* if you find foam plugs uncomfortable).

Tom Walker

I originally scoffed at it, but have found earplugs to be life changing on a motorcycle. It makes it an entirely different and far more comfortable experience. You can still hear all the traffic and "important" stuff; just cuts way down on wind and engine noise.

As an avid sport shooter, I spend a bit more time than is healthy on concrete walled ranges with lots of tools that make very loud noises. Before I ran across Instamolds I regularly used both a set of foam ear plugs, as well as a set of external ear protection.

I highly recommend EarInc's Instamold Earplugs. Substantial difference between the squish-and-stick in your ear and these. Much more comfortable for long term use and easy to clean (reusable). The initial creation is a bit weird. Being custom, you actually have them created inside your own ears which is a very strange sensation. But the entire process is worth every dime for someone who will regularly be in noisy environments.

Caleb615

How about an earplug hack: filters from (unused) cigarettes?

colorebel

@sepinho: Apparently a lot of people. More often then not, when I see someone wearing ear plugs they have inserted them improperly. Just like she notes in the video, if you can see them hanging out of someones ears they haven't put them in right.

@GirafficPark: I recently bought a pair of Skullcandy noise canceling ear buds. they cost $47 with shipping and are well worth the money. They work as intended and block out everything but your music; although, I sometimes feel like a jerk when I don't respond to someone because I can't hear anything they're saying.

The only downfall to the ear buds is that if the cord is moving a lot you get interference, but running the cord down your shirt fixes that problem.

bomjumaku

lol@ LOLWUT.

@GirafficPark: Good question on noise-canceling headphones. I have the Apple noise-canceling earbuds and, though they are a little costly, they work very well. I would recommend virtually any type of noise-canceling earbud for the purpose of listening to music while drowning out noise. But if the quality of the music is a concern, I feel that "you get what you pay for."

Ryan Deen

Seriously? This is news?! "Use a product properly and it works better!"

Well no shit. How about you read the directions on the box. They all say this exact same thing.

Truly, a life hack.

@fispaul: We'll if you have earbuds with soft foam, many of the principles are the same.

ARP

Meh. First I thought this would be how to insert EarBUDS for MP3 players :P

Agreed with sepinho, who the heck needs an instructional video on how to insert earplugs. Whoever does has bigger problems at hand. . . like graduating high school for one.

Earplugs are a GOD SEND in college. Ever since my freshmen year, I've used them to sleep since I'm a light sleeper.

One tip if you sleep with earplugs, do not put them all the way in and make sure to get the softest ones you can find. Violating either tip will leave you with sore ears sooner or later.

prochobo

I use Etymotic isoleating earphones & the recommended way is the same silly arm over the head thing. I find it much easier to put the plug/earphone part in and then tug my earlobe to open the ear canal with thumb & forefinger whilst pushing the earphone in with my middle finger.

This is done with the hand on he same side as the ear of course :)

Spiny

Earplugs can be a lifesaver in a noisy office. Not long ago I got stuck in a cube wedged between three noisy copiers, beside a noisy boardroom (with people standing outside my cube having breakout chats), and next to a door that open and shut with a piercing snap (plus the usual noise from ventilation, intercube chatter etc.) Earplugs brought things down to a manageable roar. Earplugs + headphones + loud music shut out the world completely. I still haven't tried noise-cancelling headphones, though. Maybe they'd be better than earplugs. Anyone know?

GirafficPark

LOLWUT, who would need instructions on how to properly insert earplugs?

Seriously, I wouldn't even get earplugs in, if I didn't roll them up. And it's not exactly hard to figure out that you can squeeze them and have them expand IN YOUR EAR.

Why roll them into a cylinder shape though? I just squeeze-n-roll them equally on both ends and have them expand IN MY EAR (surprising, I know).

And I use earplugs a lot. Berlin-Friedrichshain is not a particularly quiet neighborhood, if you have to get up early to go to work.

sepinho

I've been using earplugs for years, even before college. But only to sleep when with people who snore...

the greatest part is that they are guaranteed to fall out before you wake up

SmBizMan

@mfusion: Obviously, the world has gone mad. We should have it committed. Any good asylums around?

Good Lord! I thought that was a sex-ed diagram at first glance.

furrowed

@SanchaliJagabat: I think that sitting on a moving motorcycle for extended periods of time has a slightly more negative effect on one's ears than does being passed by one on a street corner.

@Ryan Deen: Wait, Apple make noise-canceling earbuds?

Tip for parents: my daughter was a colicky baby. When she had particularly bad crying spells, I would sometimes put earplugs in as I held her for hours: I could still hear her crying (heartbreaking!), but it made a huge difference in reducing the decibels, which can really wear you down.

@furrowed:
Phew, I was afraid I was the only immature one on here today. The diagram looks strikingly like part of the human body further down that only men have.

HisNameIsChris

@Jacob_Grimm: You read my mind Jacob!

The exact instructions in the video are printed on every package of earplugs I have at home. Including the "pulling on your ear" part!

Usually, people do this with earphones, and still leave the maximum volume possible.

@[tinyurl.com]

Ryan Deen

I use earplugs a lot because I frequently go to drag races at Atlanta Drag Way. I never knew pulling on your ear would make them easier to insert. Although it is kinda obvious that you need to roll the ear plugs up to fit them in your ears:|

Is it safe to use a very small directional shaped-charge to eject the earplugs? I feel this would take the hassle out of having to remove them yourself. How much damage would there be as a result, to you and your surroundings? Is it worth the risk?

@v@

paintbox

mmm....... casual insertion........ lolllllllllllllllll

Sorry.

Well not really.

paintbox

@[www.grainger.com]) cut about 25db more sound out. The combination of the two is effective and inexpensive.

krishnoid

Super Leight earplugs are just as comfortable and effective (33 db) as Super Hearos, but they have the added benefit of flaring out at one end. This gives you something outside the ear to grab onto to pull them out, even when the plugs are properly inserted. With other earplugs, if they're not long enough, I occasionally have to use something to get them out of my ears. I've been finding Super Leight at CVS (in the United States).

TimothyRhea

Um, are there instructions to remove them later? lol. But seriously, what are the safety considerations of earplugs? I read once that 'you should never insert anything smaller than an elbow into your ear'.

EmersonPers?phon

@eyeverve: Interesting Information, Thanks !