Q.I am looking for a more effective ear plug. I need this in situations like being in a noisy room, our loud family gatherings, a restaurant, in loud groups of people. I have very sensitive hearing, I seem to hear much more than most people, so says my family.
I have not found an earplug that really protects me from the panic I begin to feel in noisy situations, I will use toilet paper and stuff it in my ears. I need the noise to reduce significantly. I was at Costco this weekend with my husband and it was really loud, many more shoppers than usual, after 15 minutes, I went to the restroom and got toilet paper... I could focus on what he was saying and not be overwhelmed by the deafening noise of the shoppers.
I would really appreciate your help and recommendations. The irony is, we were at Costco to get his new hearing aids adjusted...go figure. I was completely happy in the audiologist’s quiet room....and then she opened the door....
I look forward to "hearing" from you.
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A. We call this type of hearing sensitivity ANS (Acute Noise Sensitivity). It's a catch-all term for a wide variety of auditory sensitivity issues with a different range of causes. Believe me when I say you're not the only one who struggles with loud, irritating, distracting, or even distressing noise. Here is an article discussing ANS that may help, though it probably just describes what you already know, far too well.
To get to the point, you share a sensitivity to noise with a large number of other people, and our primary recommendation is for the use of musician ear plugs. The best solution for most adults with ANS is to use a hearing protection ear plug that still allows for clear hearing of sound, but at a reduced volume - and that is exactly what musician ear plugs do. Designed for bands, music teachers, students, and performing professionals, these plugs cause little to no sound distortion, so you can still hear music and voices clearly - but they reduce the decibels that reach your ears, meaning you don't get assaulted by so much sound. Your next trip to Costco will be a whole lot easier to handle, and you won't have to stick toilet paper in your ears!
Please, don't stick toilet paper in your ears.
For more info about musician's earplugs and our specific recommendations, please see this short article.
Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore
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