Noise cancelling headphones! Oh Joy! (and other ways to block sound)

[Evergreen]

If you’re out and about I would seriously consider custom earplugs. I haven’t tried myself because I can’t get out to get the moulds made, but you rarely see people have bad experiences if they pick the right product for the use case.

No, that was over a decade ago. I'm severe. No out and about for me.

I looked into what I think you're talking about before - the ones audiologists make, right? From what I found, they're not what I need. They don't cancel enough noise. But maybe you're talking about something else?

 

[Utsikt]

I looked into what I think you're talking about before - the ones audiologists make, right? From what I found, they're not what I need. They don't cancel enough noise. But maybe you're talking about something else?

Huh, you’re right. They are apparently often sub 30db, while foam can be just above 30db.

 

[Evergreen]

Huh, you’re right. They are apparently often sub 30db, while foam can be just above 30db.

Yeah, the foam ones I use are 33dB. I also read a lot of threads on various different patient sites. I remember people commenting that they still found them uncomfortable and went back to foam.

Materials are likely to have improved since I looked into it, though - I'm not even sure there were silicone ones available at the time. They might have been thermoplastic.

I think if I were mild and still working part-time, I would look into them again. Alas, very far from that.

 

[Chandelier]

I might have found a new favourite disposable earplug.

Honeywell Max Lite /
Howard Leight Max Lite
View attachment 29880

I don’t like wearing disposables because I get pressure points inside my ears and sore spots that can be really painful. So I stick to wax plugs when I don’t need 30 db reduction. I tried these on random and they are by far the most comfortable ones I’ve used.

Very little pressure, very good seal, best noise reduction so far, and they are so soft that there is no pressure when lying on them. I haven’t used them enough to judge long term irritation, but I often forget I’m even wearing them.

They are also used in industry, so you can buy them in bulk for very cheap. Like the equivalent of £0.2 per pair in Norway.

That’s an excellent tip, thank you!
They are by far the best I‘ve tried so far when it comes to showering noises.
It makes the whole procedure about 50% less intense, which is a huge win for me.