Got Ears? Get Informed!

Surfer's Ear: A Truly Bone-Chilling Problem

Have you ever heard of Surfer's Ear?

Most of us are familiar with swimmer's ear -- but swimmer's ear isn't the only medical problem water can cause for your ears. According to the California Ear Institute, surfer's ear, aka exostosis, is the abnormal growth of bone within the ear canal. Exostosis is caused by frequent exposure to cold water and wind; this exposure causes the bone surrounding the ear canal to thicken. This can lead to water often being trapped in the ear canals after swimming, more frequent ear infections, and eventually occlusion -- complete blockage of the ear canal -- and hearing loss.

Exostosis can actually result from almost any activity that takes place in cold, wet, and windy conditions: skiing, kayaking, fishing, sailing, and diving, for example. But surfers, who endure a lot of exposure to cold water, are much more likely than the rest of the population to get exostosis (and to get it at an earlier age), thus the name "surfer's ear."

Surfer's ear is a truly chilling problem. Given enough time, bony spurs deep in the ear can grow wildly, even penetrating the brain cavity! The bone growth is irreversible on its own, and the only lasting treatment for surfer's ear is surgery. The colder the water, the faster exostosis develops. Surfer's ear has become more of a problem in recent years as better wetsuits and dry suit technology have opened up colder waters for surfing and other water sports. Cold water surfers now experience exostosis at a rate that is 600% higher than warm water surfers!

Fortunately, surfer's ear is preventable. The primary way to avoid this serious medical condition is to simply avoid water activity during extremely cold and windy conditions. Using good ear protection is also critical; surfer's ear plugs can help to prevent cold water exposure, and they're especially important for high-exposure activities like surfing or wind surfing. Wearing a swim cap or hood in addition to the surfing ear plugs can help, too.

We offer a dedicated selection of ear plugs for surfing. These ear plugs offer two excellent features: first, they prevent water from getting in your ear and causing damage, and second, they allow you to hear what's going on around you while you're wearing them. All of our swimming ear plugs will provide water protection, but only the plugs listed on our surfing ear plugs page are sure to enable situational awareness. It is important to be able to hear what's going on around you when you're surfing or engaging in other high-activity water sports, and that's what surfing ear plugs let you do -- while still keeping your ears dry and safe.

Our top ear protection recommendations for preventing surfer's ear:

(1) Sorky Surfing Ear Plugs for Surfing and Cold Weather Activities
		These specialized ear plugs are designed specifically for surfers and the prevention of surfer's ear. Sorky plugs fit deep in the ear canal, and they prevent both cold water and wind from getting into the ear. A unique membrane in the center of these ear plugs allows sound to pass through -- so you can hear voices and other noises around you -- while sealing out water and wind. Sorky is so good, we also recommend it for cold weather skiing, mountain biking, hiking and mountain climbing, kayaking, wind surfing, and sailing; if it's cold and wet, Sorky is the right choice for your ears. Sorky isn't cheap -- but if you're serious about cold water surfing, you need serious protection from surfer's ear.
(2) Alpine SwimSafe Premium Swimming Ear Plugs
		Alpine SwimSafe ear plugs provide water protection without blocking your hearing, and are a good choice for general water activities. The SwimSafe features a built-in acoustic filter that lets sound in while keeping water out, which provides the water protection and situational awareness surfers need. SwimSafe ear plugs have flanged tips that meld to the shape of the ear canal for a comfortable fit and good seal, so they won't fall out while you swim. Still, SwimSafe ear plugs are best for casual use; we do not recommend these plugs for diving, scuba, or other underwater swimming. If you're a warm water surfer, a surface swimmer, or someone who only engages in very cold, wet activities every once in a while, SwimSafe will do the trick -- and SwimSafe is a very affordable solution.
(3) Westone Model 70 Custom-Fit Surfing Ear Plugs
		These custom molded ear plugs are the very best surfing ear plugs available anywhere, period. They are also the most expensive solution. But if you're constantly out there in cold water, sitting on your board getting blasted by wind and spray while you wait for the perfect wave, you can hardly afford to be without this kind of high-grade custom ear protection. The Model 70 is designed specifically for surfing and swimming, and like other surfing ear plugs, the Model 70 provides both water protection and situational awareness. A sealed membrane covers a center channel to keep cold air and water out of the ear, while allowing you to hear what's going on around you clearly. And because these are custom ear plugs, the fit is unparalleled: maximum comfort, maximum seal against water, maximum effectiveness. The Model 70 is by far our top recommendation for serious surfers.

Which product is best for you depends on what kind of water sports you engage in, how often, what the climate is like in your area, and how tight your budget is. But please, if you do surf (or ski, snowboard, sail, or wind surf...) take the time to educate yourself about surfer's ear, and take action to keep this chilling medical condition from happening to you. Surfer's ear is preventable, so like we always say here at Ear Plug Superstore... Got Ears? Get Protected!

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

---

More Ways to Connect With Us:

Ditch the Drops - 5 Better Ways to Prevent Swimmer's Ear

Swimmer's ear is a medical condition characterized by irritation, inflammation, or infection of the ear canal. Common symptoms include pain, itching, red or swollen ear canal, drainage, swelling, and ringing in the ear. Bacteria and fungi are directly responsible for these painful symptoms, but the root cause is usually water in the ear... which is why it's called swimmer's ear!

Quick facts about swimmer's ear:

• Swimmer's ear is most likely to affect children and teenagers.
• Swimmer's ear occurs most often in the summer.
• Swimming isn't the only cause: baths and showers can trigger it, too.
• Swimmer's ear can lead to more serious issues; when in doubt, see your doctor!

Fortunately, swimmer's ear is easy to prevent. There are two simple steps you can take before and after swimming to protect yourself -- and your children -- from swimmer's ear. Step one, use a good pair of swimming ear plugs to help keep water out of the ears while swimming. Step two, make sure the ear canals are nice and dry after getting out of the water for the day.

Now, for years, ear drops have been the go-to solution for drying the ears after a swim. But ear drops aren't always the best choice. Some people find ear drops to be difficult or downright uncomfortable to use -- and children, especially, won't often sit still for ear drops! Too, ear drops typically contain alcohol and other chemicals that can make them a less desirable choice.

We recommend the following five newer, better, smarter solutions to keep your (and your children's) ear canals dry and healthy, so you can ditch the drops this summer:

(1) Macks Rechargeable Ear Canal Dryer
		The Mack's Ear Dryer is an enormously popular little gadget made specifically to help prevent swimmer's ear. Designed by an Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctor, this handy device gently blows warm air into the ear, effectively drying the outer ear canal. The drying air is actually warm and pleasant, and the Mack's Ear Dryer is totally safe and perfect for kids (adult supervision recommended). The Mack's Ear Dryer is portable, with a fold-up design for easy transport, and one 3-hour charge can provide up to 50 drying cycles -- so you can take your Ear Dryer with you to the pool, beach, or water park and keep the whole family's ears dry and safe! Also ideal for use at home to dry the kids' ears after bath time.
(2) Anti-Bacterial Moldable Silicone Ear Plugs for Kids
		About 90% of all cases of swimmer's ear are due to a bacterial infection of some sort, and children are the most likely to get swimmer's ear -- so North Safety's Anti-Bacterial Moldable Ear Plugs for Kids are a stroke of genius. These unique ear plugs contain a safe, anti-bacterial agent to prevent bacteria from building up on or in the ear plugs during and between uses. With these anti-bacterial ear plugs, you can reduce the probability of getting swimmer's ear or other bacterial ear infections. Sized for kids, these ear plugs feature a bright assortment of colors, and they come with their own carry case.
(3) Cirrus ClearEars Water Absorbing Ear Plugs
		Unlike other swimming and water ear plugs, Cirrus ClearEars are not designed to be worn while you swim. Instead, you insert ClearEars after you're finished swimming or bathing. The ear plugs safely and comfortably absorb the water left in your ear canals. Made out of a soft FDA-approved polymer material, ClearEars are safe for children and adults (always provide parent supervision when your child uses any type of ear plugs). ClearEars are inserted just like normal foam ear plugs, and they only need to be worn for 5 to 10 minutes to completely remove the water from the ear canals. As an eco-friendly bonus, these single-use ear plugs are alcohol-free and can be cut up and added to the soil of your house plants to help them retain water, making ClearEars a healthy choice for your ears -- and for our planet.
(4) Acu-Life AfterSwim Water Removal Ear Sponges
		AfterSwim sponges are a very clever and simple solution for removing water from the ear canals after a swim. Each AfterSwim sponge has very soft, pointy tips you insert into your ears; the sponge's tip breaks the surface tension on the water trapped in your ear canal, and the super-absorbant sponge material then quickly soaks up the water. AfterSwim sponges are safe, thorough, and fast, working to dry the ears in as little as a few seconds. Each disposable sponge has two soft, pointy tips, so one sponge is good for drying both your ears one time. Alcohol, glycerin, and residue free.
(5) Ear Band-It Ear Plug Retaining Headband
		Wearing ear plugs while swimming is a great way to keep the water out of your ears. But if your ear plugs aren't worn just right, they can sometimes slip out of your ears while you swim. The solution? An Ear Band-It Ear Plug Retaining Headband. These comfortable swimming headbands are especially designed to be worn over a pair of moldable ear plugs for swimming, ensuring that the ear plugs stay firmly in place no matter how much you dive or cannonball. An Ear Band-It keeps the plugs in, and the plugs keep the water out. For adults, try a large-size Ear Band-It with some adult-sized moldable ear plugs, like the popular Mack's Pillow Soft Moldable Silicone ear plugs.For kids, we recommend a small size (ages 1-3) or medium size (ages 4-10) Ear Band-It with some Putty Buddies Floatable Ear Plugs.

One last thing... If none of the above solutions appeals to you, by all means go ahead and use your ear drops! Though there are newer and more advanced ear care products out there, if ear drops work for you and your kids, keep it up. It may not be our top recommendation, but ear drops are not a bad solution -- and using ear drops is still a much better choice than leaving that water sitting in your ear canals.

At the end of the day, preventing swimmer's ear really is simple, especially with the right gear. Wear swimming ear plugs to keep your ears as dry as possible while swimming. Take steps to actively ensure your ear canals are dry once you're out of the water. Practice these simple preventative measures consistently, and you and your whole family can swim safely -- and avoid swimmer's ear -- this summer.

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

---

More Ways to Connect With Us:

Reduce Waste with Reusable Ear Plugs

Foam ear plugs really are great: they're inexpensive, they block out sound, they come in all different shapes, colors, and sizes, and they work for virtually any noise protection application. But the big drawback of foam ear plugs is that they're disposable -- they're designed to be used and then tossed in the trash!

Though a few of our customers have reported reusing their foam ear plugs, we do not recommend doing this. At the very least, foam ear plugs absolutely must be replaced as soon as they become dirty, sticky, or begin to become hard or lose their ability to expand after being rolled down for insertion. Dirty ear plugs pose a hygiene hazard, and on top of that, only fresh foam ear plugs can be counted on to provide their tested Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). So it's always best to use foam ear plugs as intended: wear them once, and then throw them away.

With Earth Day coming up, however, we suggest replacing your disposable foam ear plugs with a nice pair of reusable ear plugs!

Reusable ear plugs have many benefits. For one, they are suitable for water, the one place foam ear plugs cannot go to protect your ears. Too, just like foam plugs, reusable ear plugs come in many shapes, sizes, and colors, and are good for a huge variety of noise protection applications. Finally, reusable ear plugs can be gently hand-washed with warm water and soap to keep them clean and ready for many repeat uses -- so they won't fill up trash cans or landfills!

Reusable ear plugs come in two general categories: industrial and consumer.

		Industrial reusable ear plugs are designed for workplace noise protection, but these versatile ear plugs often work for many other applications as well. You can get industrial reusable plugs from Ear Plug Superstore in quantities as small as a single pair of ear plugs.
		Consumer reusable ear plugs are typically a bit more expensive, but they usually come in attractive retail packaging, often with perks like an extra pair of plugs or a free ear plug carry case.

In ge neral, industrial reusable ear plugs are great for a variety of noise protection applications, while consumer reusable ear plugs tend to be optimized for one specific application, such as swimming or surfing, live music, shooting, etc.

Whatever you use foam ear plugs for, there is likely a good reusable ear plug available that will meet your needs! Here are some examples:

Sleeping & Snoring Relief

• Alpine SleepSoft

Music & Concerts

• Alpine MusicSafe Pro
• Killnoise Musician and Concert Ear Plugs
• Etymotic ER-20 Ety-Plugs

Motorcycle Riding

• WindTamer Motorcycle Ear Plugs
• Alpine MotoSafe Professional Driver's Ear Plugs

Hunting & Shooting

• Macks Ear Seals Shooting Ear Plugs
• Peltor Combat Arms Dual-Sided Ear Plugs

And see our Industrial Reusable Ear Plugs page for a great selection of reusable plugs for general noise protection.

Of course, if you're interested in going green with your hearing protection and reducing your waste as much as possible, custom molded ear plugs are the very best solution available. A good pair of custom molded ear plugs can last for years and years!

Custom ear plugs fit better and last longer than any other type of ear plug, period. However, custom molded ear plugs are considerably more expensive than foam or reusable ear plugs -- so if you don't use ear plugs very often, custom ear plugs are probably not the right solution for your unique ears.

Whether you're new to hearing protection or you've been using ear plugs for years, consider giving reusable (or custom!) ear plugs a try. By switching from foam plugs to a good pair of reusable ear plugs, you can reduce the amount of waste you create, lighten the load on our landfills, and help to keep our planet green.

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

---

More Ways to Connect With Us:

Foam Ear Plug Dispensers - A Leaner, Greener Solution

If you use hearing protection at your workplace, you probably know how industrial foam ear plugs are typically packaged: the ear plugs come in a box, and inside the box, each pair of ear plugs comes in an individually-wrapped plastic packet. All that wrapping piles up: not only can all those ear plug boxes and wrappers make a mess (especially if your employees or coworkers aren't too tidy), but after a week, a month, or a year of daily use, those little plastic packets add up to a whole lot of waste!

The solution: Ear Plug Dispensers and Refills. Foam Ear Plug Dispensers are the perfect way to reduce waste in your workplace. Ear Plug Dispensers are exactly what they sound like: they're devices that hold unwrapped foam ear plugs, dispensing them easily and hygienically right into your hand, one pair at a time.

Designed to work with bulk ear plugs that are not individually wrapped, Ear Plug Dispensers reduce waste and save time without compromising hygiene or protection.

Dispensers are currently available for Moldex ear plugs, E-A-R ear plugs, Howard Leight ear plugs, and Elvex ear plugs. Each dispenser works with different types of foam plugs, so check out our Foam Ear Plug Dispensers and Bottles page to find out which dispenser works with your favorite foam plugs. All Ear Plug Dispensers are designed to work with foam ear plugs that come unwrapped in bulk, so any of our dispensers can provide a great, green way to reduce waste!

Ear Plug Dispenser Key Benefits:

• Less packaging, less trash, less waste; the GREEN choice!
• Less packaging means the same great earplugs cost less.
• No more messy boxes and plastic packets on the floor.

One last thing...

If you really need individually wrapped foam ear plugs, or if you use foam ear plugs for personal reasons and want to help the planet from home, check out our Howard Leight foam ear plugs in paper bags! These ear plugs come in boxes just like regular industrial foam ear plugs, but inside the box, each pair of ear plugs is individually wrapped in a biodegradable paper bag instead of the usual plastic poly-bag. Four extremely popular foam ear plugs from Howard Leight offer this biodegradable paper bag option:

• Max Ear Plugs
• MaxLite Ear Plugs
• LaserLite Ear Plugs
• Multi-Max Ear Plugs

Always remember to protect your ears -- and protect the planet while you're at it.

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

---

More Ways to Connect With Us:

Protect Your Ears and the Earth with Eco-Friendly Ear Plugs

Kahlm Ear Dough: 100% All-Natural Biodegradable Ear Plugs

Kahlm Ear Dough is the only ear plug created with 100% all-natural ingredients -- beeswax and lanolin strengthened with cotton fibers. Ear Dough ear plugs also include natural essential oils which provide pleasant scents and leave your ears feeling moisturized during and after wear. The natural ingredients in Kahlm Ear Dough won't harm the environment. In fact, Ear Dough ear plugs are completely bio-degradable -- so you can protect your hearing from water or noise without damaging Mother Earth.

Wax and cotton ear plugs are extremely popular for sleeping because they are so comfortable, and Kahlm Ear Dough is no exception. But Kahlm Ear Dough ear plugs were actually designed for high-activity watersports like surfing, wakeboarding, and jet skiing! As a result, Ear Dough ear plugs are great for a variety of situations.

Imported from New Zealand, Kahlm Ear Dough is available in three lovely scents: Virgin Coconut, scented with tropical coconut oil; Tropical Sunset, scented with exotic ylang ylang essential oil; and Honey Babe, the natural scent of New Zealand beeswax! For an unscented option, choose Honey Babe, which contains no added fragrances and has only a very light beeswax fragrance.

 

ClearEars Ear Plugs for Happy Ears -- and Happy Plants!

Unlike other ear plugs for swimming, ClearEars ear plugs are designed to be used after you get out of the water! ClearEars are water absorbing, ear-drying ear plugs, with a revolutionary design that draws in and holds water. Insert a pair of these unique ear plugs after a trip to the pool, keep them in for 5-10 minutes, and ClearEars will safely dry out your ears, helping to relieve ear discomfort and prevent swimmer's ear. ClearEars also work well to dry your ears after a shower or bath.

These ear plugs are alcohol-free and made of Soft Comfort Foam, sized to fit adults and kids alike. When you're done drying your ears, remove the ClearEars ear plugs --

But don't throw them away!

These Earth Friendly ear plugs are made from a material that's safe and nontoxic to both people and plants. After you're finished with them, ClearEars can be cut up and added to the soil for your house plants to help retain valuable moisture. Your plants will love ClearEars, too!

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

---

More Ways to Connect With Us:

New Product Alert: Pro-Ears Ultra 28 Headband Ear Muffs are Here!

Pro-Ears Ultra 28 Ear Muffs strike a perfect balance between the heavy-duty Ultra 33 and the light-weight Ultra 26.

At NRR 28, the Ultra 28 provides very good noise protection. It's not the maximum protection available (see the Ultra 33 for a maximum sound-blocking heavy-duty ear muff), but it's the perfect amount of noise blocking for moderate to high noise level environments in which you still need some situational awareness.

The Ultra 28 is a medium-profile ear muff. That means the Ultra 28 is not as bulky as ear muffs that provide the maximum available hearing protection, but it's also not as slim and light as ear muffs that offer less noise protection tend to be.

Because of their balanced design, Pro-Ears Ultra 28 ear muffs are an excellent choice for a huge variety of hearing protection applications.

How to Listen to Your NASCAR Scanner and Protect Your Hearing, Too

If you're listening to your scanner with regular earbuds or headphones, you're not getting the hearing protection you need to keep your ears safe at the races.

Spectators in the stands can get blasted with more than 95dB of noise. At that noise level, you'll be experiencing hearing damage inside just one hour! And if you're trying to listen to your scanner over the background roar, you probably have to turn the volume way up... which adds even more to the total amount of punishing sound that's reaching your ears.

The solution is to get a set of hearing protection earbuds or headphones that will allow you to listen to your scanner while also protecting your ears. While wearing earbuds or headphones with noise reduction, you will find you can even turn your scanner's volume down and still hear clearly. And never fear, adrenaline junkies: no amount of hearing protection will cause you to miss out on the thrill of NASCAR sound -- NASCAR is so incredibly loud that no matter how well you protect your ears, you'll still be able to hear and feel the sound zooming through your body as the cars roar by!

Here are our top three recommendations for listening to your scanner and protecting your hearing at the same time:

1) Plugfones Racing Fan Isolation Earphones Kit
		These earbud-style isolation earphones are a unique combination of earphones and actual ear plugs. Three types of ear plug tips are available: long-lasting reusable rockets and 2 types of foam tips. The foam tips are easily replaceable, and if you select either foam option, two sets of replacement tips are included in the kit. The Plugfones Racing Fan Kit is designed specifically for use at NASCAR and other racing events, so it naturally comes with adapters to fit the vast majority of scanners: a 3.5mm mono-to-stereo adapter, a 2.5mm-to-3.5mm adapter for use with scanners or radios, and even a two-prong airplane adapter so you can listen comfortably while flying out to the event. Without an adapter, the Plugfones have a standard 3.5mm stereo plug that will fit iPods, iPhones, and CD players, etc. Plugfones are a good, inexpensive solution to keep your ears safe at the races.
2) E-A-R Buds Earphones for OSHA Work Environments
		E-A-R Buds are a step up from Plugfones. Designed for general noise protection, E-A-R Buds have a standard plug that fits most MP3 players, smart phones, CD players, etc. Good quality sound and an inline volume control make E-A-R Buds a more sophisticated choice than Plugfones. E-A-R Buds are officially rated at NRR 26, and include a built-in limiter that keeps the earphone speaker volume to safe 82dB, which means E-A-R Buds will protect your ears both from the noise around you and from the noise from your scanner. (With NRR 26 hearing protection, 82dB is enough volume to hear your scanner clearly.) These also feature triple-flange tips for a good seal against the ear canal. Though E-A-R Buds are designed for workers in an OSHA-compliant environment, they have become a very popular choice for a wide variety of applications.
3) Direct Sounds Model EX-25 Extreme Isolation Headphones
		If you're looking for a top-of-the-line headset to use with your scanner, it would be hard to beat the EX-25. Originally designed for professional studio engineers, these headphones are the marriage of high-quality ear muffs and top-notch hi-fi headphones. The result is a headphone that turns down the ambient volume and lets you listen to your scanner (or smart phone, or iPod, or CD player...) with superb sound quality and little outside distortion. With a gold-plated stereo plug adapter and heavy-duty 9 foot cord, every component of the EX-25 is of the very best quality. With the EX-25, you'll be able to protect your ears while hearing every last tiny auditory detail your scanner can provide. At NRR 25, these will block just the right amount of hazardous noise while still letting you enjoy the roar of the race, making the EX-25 perfect for NASCAR scanner listening. The over-the-ear style of these headphones is ideal for anyone who finds earbuds uncomfortable.

All three of these are excellent choices for listening to your scanner; which one is right for you just depends on your personal preferences. And if none of these suits your tastes, check out our Isolation Earphones and Headphones page -- any item with a listed NRR will provide listening capability with hearing protection.

With so many excellent choices available to allow you to listen to your NASCAR scanner while protecting your hearing, there is no reason your ears have to suffer for you to get the most out of watching the sport you love.

And one last thing -- if you bring the kids to the races, don't forget the ear muffs for babies and children! With a set of baby ear muffs, even infants only a few months old can safely attend NASCAR races. Our ear muffs for babies and children are adjustable and will fit infants, toddlers, children, and even small adults! And right now, all our child ear muffs come with a Free Plush Storage Bag, so it's the perfect time to protect the hearing of your little race fan.

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

---

More Ways to Connect With Us:

Video of the Week: The Personal Effects of Noise Induced Hearing Loss

What is it like to suffer from hearing loss? How can noise-induced hearing loss affect your life? In this video, Brad K. Witt explains the personal effects and consequences of noise-induced hearing loss. This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning about NIHL. (Watch the Video Now!) Provided by Howard Leight HearForever Runtime: 4:19

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

---

More Ways to Connect With Us:

Sound Bites: 6 NASCAR Drivers talk Noise Induced Hearing Loss

NASCAR noise levels are so high that a slim 30 seconds in a racecar is enough exposure to start causing Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), according to the Orlando Sentinel. That's some seriously hazardous sound! Even with custom hearing protection gaining a great deal of popularity in the NASCAR scene, hearing loss is still a rampant problem among drivers. So exactly which drivers have Noise Induced Hearing Loss?

Most likely, all of them do -- at least to some degree.

Within the sport, hearing loss is largely perceived as inevitable; it's viewed as a "when," not an "if." Though it's true that NASCAR is dangerously loud, this gloomy acceptance of NIHL is tragic, because NIHL is actually totally preventable with the right hearing protection gear.

To help educate younger drivers and fans alike, the following 6 NASCAR drivers -- some of whom are legends with an entire lifetime of experience to share -- have all come forward to speak about hearing loss.

1. Cale Yarborough
Yarboroguh, whose hearing has regressed over many years spent racing, often has to ask interviewers to repeat questions. He explained, "I'm sorry I keep asking you questions. I'm the only driver from my [generation] that doesn't wear two hearing aids."

2. Richard "the King" Petty
Petty has lost 85% of his hearing, and is indeed one of those drivers who wear hearing aids in each ear. "Used to be we wore open-faced helmets and we didn't have radios, so we didn't have anything in our ears and you just sit there and listen to exhaust pipes for 10 years," Petty said. "It just kept going away and going away."

3. Jeff Gordon
Gordon has said his hearing loss is "progressively getting worse," adding, "I mean, you know, it's an issue. [But] it comes with racing, it's a part of it." This kind of pragmatism is common among drivers, who fully appreciate how loud NASCAR really is, and all-too-often see NIHL as inevitable.

4. Tony Stewart
Stewart uses hearing protection -- but he didn't start soon enough, and could have missed a race when he once failed the Indianapolis 500's required hearing test. Stewart, who has been driving competitively since he was 5 years old, said, "I started to go deaf when I was a kid. I'm safe now, but people just have to start wearing earplugs earlier in their careers. But it's hard to convince a kid to wear earplugs when all he wants to do is drive a racecar. It's too late now for me, so what am I supposed to do about it?"

5. Darrell Waltrip
Waltrip said the roar of the engines is a big part of what drew him to NASCAR in the first place. Too, the noise is a critical part of how the driver tells how well the engine is running. But Waltrip's gradually losing his ability to hear that noise; high-pitched sounds in particular give him trouble, he said.

6. Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty also suffers from hearing loss, just like his father. He said, "My hearing's already pretty bad. If I went to a movie, I'd probably need a hearing aid, so I'd rather sit in a hotel room and crank the sound all the way up. I try to tell the younger guys they should wear earplugs or they'll end up like me or my dad, but nobody listens. Maybe because everybody here is already deaf."

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

---

Credit for the above quotes goes to the Orlando Sentinel.

More Ways to Connect With Us:

Happy Easter from Ear Plug Superstore!