Permanent hearing loss can’t be reversed, but some types of hearing loss are preventable. After age deterioration (presbycusis), exposure to loud noise is the most common cause of permanent hearing loss, especially in adults under the age of 70. Protecting your ears with custom hearing protection helps you avoid the damage that leads to significant hearing challenges later on.
If you live in or near Lavonia, Watkinsville, or Loganville, GA, Hearing + Balance Clinics has you covered with custom hearing protection for the various activities you enjoy and allows you to hear better for longer.
Understanding how noise affects your hearing is crucial for protecting your auditory health. Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB), with zero representing complete silence and each 10-point increase representing a tenfold increase in sound intensity. While normal conversation levels (below 85 dB) are safe, exposure to sounds at or above 85 dB can cause permanent damage to the delicate hair cells in your inner ear that transmit sound signals to your brain. The risk increases dramatically with both intensity and duration – for every 3 dB increase above 85 dB, the safe exposure time is cut in half.
Many everyday activities can put your hearing at risk without proper protection. Common noise sources like lawnmowers, chainsaws, and jet-skis (around 110 dB) can cause damage within minutes, while emergency vehicle sirens (120+ dB) can harm your hearing in just seconds. Popular activities among young people, such as listening to music through headphones (110-115 dB) or attending live concerts (135+ dB), pose significant risks. Perhaps most dangerous are sudden, intense sounds like firearm discharge (145+ dB), which can cause immediate, irreversible hearing damage without appropriate hearing protection.
Custom hearing protection provides a comfortable, effective solution for preserving hearing in noisy environments. Designed for a precise fit and tailored to specific needs, it offers superior sound clarity, long-term durability, and enhanced protection for various activities.
Custom molded protection provides exact anatomical fit, eliminating pressure points and irritation while ensuring maximum protection through a precise seal.
Advanced frequency response allows clear hearing of essential sounds while reducing harmful noise levels, unlike generic options that muffle all sounds indiscriminately.
Customizable filters offer optimal protection for specific activities like music, shooting sports, or industrial work, while maintaining necessary environmental awareness.
Medical-grade materials ensure durability and consistent protection, while superior comfort encourages regular use, making them a cost-effective investment in hearing health.
We begin with a detailed consultation to understand your specific hearing protection requirements. During this discussion, we evaluate your lifestyle, work environment, recreational activities, and exposure to different noise levels. Whether you're a musician, hunter, industrial worker, or swimming enthusiast, we identify the precise type of protection needed for your unique situations and determine the appropriate level of noise reduction required for your activities.
Once we've determined your protection needs, we proceed with taking precise impressions of your ears. This crucial step involves using medical-grade silicone material to create exact molds of your ear canals and outer ears. Our audiologists are specially trained in this technique to ensure the impressions capture every contour of your ear structure, which is essential for achieving a perfect fit that provides both comfort and optimal protection.
Using your ear impressions, we design your custom hearing protection with specific features tailored to your needs. This includes selecting appropriate filters for different sound environments, incorporating venting systems to prevent voice reverberation, and choosing materials that ensure long-term comfort. We consider factors such as frequency response requirements, moisture resistance for swimming plugs, or specialized acoustic filters for musicians to maintain sound clarity while reducing volume.
Your custom hearing protection is manufactured using medical-grade materials with precision-engineered components. Each device undergoes rigorous quality control to ensure it meets exact specifications. We verify that all features, such as replaceable sound filters, venting systems, and specialized components, are properly integrated and functioning as intended before proceeding to the fitting stage.
During your fitting appointment, we ensure your custom hearing protection fits perfectly and functions as designed. We demonstrate proper insertion and removal techniques, teach you how to maintain your devices, and explain how to use any adjustable features like replaceable filters. We also provide detailed guidance on care and cleaning procedures to maximize the longevity of your hearing protection. Before you leave, we verify that you're completely comfortable with your new devices and understand how to use them effectively in different situations.
Noise-induced hearing loss is hearing loss that is caused by frequent exposure to loud noise or a single extreme noise event, like an explosion. The damage caused is permanent.
Loud noise cracks or breaks the hair-like cells in the cochlea that perform the function of receiving sound vibrations, converting them, and transmitting electronic sound signals to the brain for processing.
In general, NIHL has the same signs as any form of hearing loss, but more specific symptoms usually include tinnitus, high-frequency hearing loss, stuffiness and aching in the ears, dizziness, and balance issues.
Anyone who is exposed to dangerous noise levels for a time period that exceeds the safety guidelines set up by OSHA. This typically includes construction, heavy equipment operators, and factory workers as well as those engaged in work-related or recreational discharging of firearms, use of power tools, those who use lawn and garden equipment, or those who ride motorcycles or snowmobiles.
Yes. One of the great advantages of custom hearing protection is the selection of devices designed for use during a wide range of activities.
Yes. Earplugs used for hearing protection will fit under helmets and other protective gear.
Generic hearing protection usually muffles all sound, which is certainly better than no protection. Custom hearing protection typically includes filters that lower the volume of damaging noise while allowing you to communicate.
Yes. In the US, OSHA sets the guidelines for hearing protection in the workplace.
Custom hearing protection devices can last 3-5 years with proper care and maintenance. However, they may need replacement sooner if you experience significant weight changes, jaw problems, or physical damage to the devices. Regular inspection for wear and tear, and proper cleaning can help extend their lifespan. If your hearing protection no longer feels comfortable or you notice a change in sound attenuation, it's time to have them evaluated.
Custom hearing protection is molded to the exact shape of your ear canal, providing superior comfort and a more reliable seal against noise. Unlike generic options, custom devices won't create pressure points, fall out during activity, or compromise protection due to poor fit. While they represent a higher initial investment, their durability, comfort, and consistent protection levels make them more cost-effective over time, especially for regular use in high-noise environments.
Would you like to hear better longer? With custom hearing protection, you can prevent the damage that leads to NIHL without having to give up the activities you enjoy.
Hearing + Balance Clinics provides custom hearing protection solutions that are a more secure fit, block and filter sound as needed, and are more comfortable to wear all day.
Don’t give up the activities you love! Use the adjacent form to contact us and learn more about custom hearing protection today.
Very nice and helpful staff. Always take time to let me ask questions. First time at the Watkinsville office but most of the same staff. I have been with them for several years now and very pleased.
