Have you thought about wearing earplugs to get a better nights sleep, but find they can be uncomfortable or fall out? Our guide below explains the different types and how to use them.
Do you use ear plugs at night?
Quality sleep is something we all need to function, but depending on what’s going on around us, a good night’s rest can be hard to come by. Whether you’re trying to drown out a snoring partner, or the unfamiliar background noise on a plane or at a hotel, the right pair of earplugs can mean the difference between sleeping soundly for eight hours or tossing and turning all night.
Earplugs can significantly reduce the amount of sound entering the ears, which may help people get to sleep in noisy environments. Using earplugs is a great way to block out surrounding noises that can disturb a natural sleep pattern. There are many products on the market and whichever ones you choose these need to be comfortable enough to wear all night long without causing any discomfort or irritation.
Types and how to use.
It is important to use earplugs appropriately, depending on their type.
Expandable Foam Plugs: Roll them into a tight cylindrical shape and insert halfway into the ear canal, where they will expand.
Soft rubber cones: Carefully insert the smaller end into the ear canal and gently push the earplug in to tighten.
Silicone Putty Plugs: Roll the ‘putty’ into a ball, place over the ear hole and press. The putty will just enter the ear hole, compress and fill the area around the ear hole blocking it off.
Customised ear plugs: A mould is taken of the ear and a customised ear plug produced. This will just enter the ear hole and is held snugly in place by hooking under the ridges in the cartilage of the ear.
At first, using earplugs may feel unnatural. However, this feeling will go away over time.
Ear plugs and ear wax
Earplugs are generally safe to use while sleeping. However, over time, earplugs can push earwax deep into your ear canal, causing a build-up and leading to feelings of blockage, hearing loss and possible infections. For this reason, if you have a wax problem we would not recommend the Foam or Soft Rubber Cone types of ear plug.
If you have a wax problem we would recommend Silicone Putty or Customised ear plugs which only block the ear hole and hardly enter the ear canal.
How Just Ears can help
Many more of our patients at Just Ears are telling us that they or someone in their family now uses ear plugs – and that they are experiencing a build-up of wax that they want to get checked out.
Wax that builds up its often compacted & deeper in the ear canal due to wearing earplugs and so will need to be professionally removed. True Microsuction with a microscope is best for this.
At Just Ears we have the very best microscopes that help our highly trained staff see the wax clearly in 3D precision, making our clinics are the safest place for your ears to be checked and cleaned.
Our trained team make and fit custom earplugs including ones for noise reduction.
At Just Ears we have now cleaned over 30,000 ears over the past 7 years and we are the only ear wax removal service in the south of England to be registered with the Care Quality Commission – that’s the ‘watchdog’ for healthcare.
Call 03455 27 27 27 to book an appointment to preserve your good night’s sleep!
Philip Housden BA MBA
Philip is a director of Just Ears