PENTA offers custom made products that have a variety of uses:
Swim Earmolds
Swim molds are specialized earplugs crafted from waterproof silicone that create an impenetrable seal, never allowing water past the outer ear. They are customized for your ears to ensure a tight, snug fit in the ear canal. Swimmer’s earmolds aren’t just for swimmers; they’re useful for a wide variety of water activities. Custom swim molds are used for activities such as:
- Boating.
- Jet skiing.
- Canoeing and kayaking.
- Rafting.
- Paddle boarding.
- Swimming.
- Bathing and showering.
- Attending waterparks.
- Doing water aerobics.
Custom swim molds offer protection from several major ear-related health problems, including ear infections and surfer’s ear. Ear infections are a problem for patients of all ages, though they’re particularly prevalent in children.
By the time babies reach the age of one, 62 percent have experienced an ear infection. This number goes up to 80 percent by age three and nearly 100 percent by five. Across all age ranges in America, ear infections result in about 25 million doctor’s appointments each year.
There are three main types of ear infections: acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion and otitis externa, which is also known as swimmer’s ear. Ear infections can have several different causes, but water exposure is one of the most prominent. Below is more info about these conditions, as well as exostosis (surfer’s ear).
Otitis Externa or Swimmer’s Ear
This is an infection of the outer ear that can cause itching, swelling and pain. Sometimes the condition’s symptoms also include elimination of a pus-like substance. Swimmer’s ear almost always needs to be treated with antibiotics. While this condition isn’t infectious between people, infected water in swimming pools and other water areas is its most common cause. Swimmer’s ear is completely preventable with the use of well-fitting custom swim plugs.
Exostosis or Surfer’s Ear
Exostosis is the name for a condition that causes abnormal bone growth in the ear canal. This bone growth is usually caused by water exposure in combination with cold and wind – conditions that are commonly experienced in many outdoor water sports. Surfer’s ear can result in a blocked ear canal and ear infections. It develops over time, so precautionary measures like swim molds are the best protection for water sport athletes.
Hunter’s Earplugs
Guns are one of the biggest threats to your hearing. They can cause instant, permanent and irreversible damage to your ears. Understandable, given the fact that a gunshot produces sounds at 120–160 decibels – louder than a jet engine.
Many hunters, police officers, sharpshooters and military personnel avoid wearing basic earplugs because they block out both important, safe sounds and damaging sounds simultaneously. Military and hunter’s molds solve this problem by distinguishing between good and bad sounds using advanced digital and mechanical technologies.
Earplugs for hunters, soldiers and police officers can be customized for your ears or purchased in universal forms. Custom hunter’s molds offer the benefit of a tight, secure fit specific to your ears. Universal models are a less expensive alternative that still offers better protection than earmuffs, headphones or fingers.
How Do Hunter’s Earplugs Work?
Hunter’s earplugs use specialized features that eliminate damagingly loud sounds while still letting important, subtle sounds enter your ears. These earplugs can be created using individual molds from your ears or bought as generic plugs. They use an acoustic filter to block out loud sounds while amplifying those at low decibel levels. This way, you can hear rustling twigs, quiet speech and other important but subtle noises while protecting yourself from permanent hearing loss.
Hunter’s earplugs also have a tiny valve opening that is designed to automatically close when hit with sound waves at damaging decibel levels. This valve means your hearing is protected even if you’re not the one shooting a firearm. This feature is highly useful for the police force, military members and people shooting at a range with other gunmen.
If your work or hobbies bring you around firearms often, it’s vital to protect your ears and prevent substantial damage to your hearing. At Piedmont Ear Nose and Throat Associates (PENTA), hunter’s earplugs are one of our custom earmold specialties. Give us a call to find out about our available models today.
Musician’s Earmolds
Exposure to loud music is one of the leading causes of noise-induced hearing loss. Musicians spend many hours practicing and performing and depend on good hearing in order to compose their music. Unfortunately, consistent exposure to loud music carries a high price.
Damaging sounds can lead to a host of hearing disorders including long-term hearing loss, tinnitus and more. Musicians earplugs can help prevent noise-induced hearing loss while allowing musicians to enjoy the music and reduce their risk of developing permanent hearing damage.
What Makes Musician’s Earmolds Different?
Unlike traditional earplugs that block out noise, resulting in music and speech that is muffled or distorted, musician’s earplugs are high-fidelity, meaning they reduce sound levels evenly while keeping the original quality of the music intact. This translates to music and speech that is clear and natural, and allows musicians to hear their own instruments and how well they blend in with the other band members.
Musicians earplugs are made up of a diaphragm and earmold that work together to produce attenuation (reduction in sound) that is smooth and flat across the entire frequency range. Many feature interchangeable attenuators that provide multiple levels of sound reduction for different listening situations (e.g., private rehearsals vs. full-scale concerts).
They can be used in place of loudspeaker monitoring systems, which typically crowd the stage and increase noise levels significantly. Despite their name, these earplugs aren’t solely for the use of musicians; they also benefit concertgoers, allowing them to enjoy live performances while protecting their hearing. Musicians earplugs can be used in other noisy environments such as airshows and sporting events.
PENTA also offers custom MP3 earpieces, custom Bluetooth earpieces, noise protection and industrial noise plugs. Please call our office for more information regarding any of these products.