Play Without Fear. Play Without Creating New Damage to Your Ears.

Whether music is your hobby or career, it’s part of your life. It gives you joy and access to unique experiences. It also exposes you to unique risks. Loud noises can cause permanent damage to your hearing, which will hurt your ability to play and ability to enjoy life.

Between 30-50% of musicians suffer from the effects of hearing loss according to research (1). Do you have ringing or buzzing in your ears? Has playing a musical instrument or in a band or group affected your hearing?

If you have experienced hearing loss, you can prevent further harm from being done. If you have yet to experience hearing loss or you’re not sure, you can avoid your passion for music causing long-term damage by taking action now. Protect your hearing starting today by reserving an appointment now or continuing to learn about custom earplugs and monitors for musicians like you below.

Musicians' earplugs and professional hearing devices

How to Determine What Protection You Need

Your journey as a musician will go down a different path than any other. Each musician has unique needs, which can be analyzed by an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor to determine the best course of action. But generally, as a musician, you have two primary needs in terms of hearing protection:

Protection from loud noises that can cause hearing loss.
Retain your ability to hear your music and/or voice clearly and the music of your group or band while performing.

Normal earplugs accomplish the first, protecting your ears, easy, but make retaining the ability to clearly hear your music and other performers challenging. Earplugs purchased at a store are not customized to your needs as a musician. They can distort sound and make it difficult if not impossible to play confidently.

Even if you don’t play in the loudest environments that require maximum protection, mid to low frequency protection is still needed to prevent damage. Ready-fit earplugs made for musicians can help reduce the sound levels your ears are exposed to by 20 dB.

By working with the Illinois Sinus Center, you will receive the guidance needed to find the hearing protection you need without sacrificing your ability to hear your music.

Reserve Your Appointment

Custom Monitors for Musicians

Hearing clearly while protecting your hearing gives you an advantage as a musician. In-ear monitors are professional grade devices that are custom-made and optimized to help you tune into your music, whether you’re listening or playing.

Do you play for large audiences? If so, in-ear musician monitors (IEMs) are the current standard in musician technology. They allow you to hear your music as if you were in the audience. They also reduce the decimal level of sounds entering your ears, protecting them from extremely loud sound systems and audiences.

IEMs work best if they are custom molded to fit each the shape of your ears. However, universal fit musician monitors, which come with interchangeable foam or silicone tips, are also an option.

What will work best for you? To experience the added benefit that IEMs can bring to your performances and find the best solution for you, reserve your appointment with Illinois Sinus Center.

Custom Earplugs for Working Professionals

Custom earplugs aren’t solely created for musicians. Many professions require exposure to dangerously loud or prolonged sounds that can cause permanent damage to your ears.

Custom earplugs are available from Illinois Sinus Center for a wide variety of occupations, including:

Sound crews
Recording engineers
Band teachers
Athletic coaches

Concert-goers
DJs
Airline personnel
NFL Football players

Referees
Motorcyclists
Medical professionals
Construction workers

Industrial workers
Truck drivers

Earplugs designed for your profession can help you enjoy your job, perform it for longer, and limit the negative impact it has on your personal life. However, earplugs have a limited impact if you’re not able to find the right fit.

The Importance of Finding the Right Fit

Earmolds and IEMs can be custom made (using a mold) to fit your unique ear shape. The ear impression used to make the earmold or in-ear monitor is the most important part of the process. The quality of the impression material and technique directly impacts the sound quality, sound isolation, and comfort. In other words, if they aren’t molded and fitted properly, they won’t provide optimal results.

The molds and IEMs are shaped by your audiologist or hearing specialist. At Illinois Sinus Center, we have experience in custom-fitting a wide range of patients in custom earplugs, earmolds, and IEMs.

Get the help and hearing protection you need from Illinois Sinus Center

Don’t take risks when seeking out the help you need to find the right earplug, earmold, or IEM. Speak with our audiologist, who’s experienced in custom-fitting patients with earplugs and IEMs. We will observe your ears, ask about your specific needs, analyze your current level of hearing loss if any, and discuss your options for high-quality occupational hearing protection.

The Illinois Sinus Center has a successful track record of protecting the hearing of our patients, and we can do the same for you. Don’t risk losing the music you love by failing to protect your hearing. Schedule your consultation today!

Reserve Your Appointment

References:
1. Protect Your Hearing When You Play a Musical Instrument (www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov)