Noisy neighbors and a snoring partner can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Many people rely on earplugs to create a quieter environment, but using them regularly may cause concerns about ear health.
How Do Earplugs Affect Ear Health?
For the most part, earplugs are a safe way to block out noise while you sleep. They can even improve your health by helping you get a full night’s sleep! The main concern when wearing earplugs nightly is earwax blockage.
Earwax naturally moves out of the ear on its own when unobstructed. However, wearing earplugs regularly can interfere with this process, potentially causing a blockage. While earplugs don’t always lead to buildup, it’s something to be aware of.
A few common signs of earwax blockages include:
- Muffled hearing
- Ringing in the ears
- A feeling of fullness in the ears
- Earache
Earwax blockages don’t have to prevent you from blocking out noise while you sleep. You can get a good night’s rest without worrying about wax buildup by choosing the right noise protection and caring for your ears.
How To Choose the Right Noise Protection
When you picture earplugs, the disposable foam plugs are probably the first option to come to mind. While disposable foam earplugs are one of your options, they may not be the best for sleep. A few other options include:
- Earmuffs. Earmuffs are more cumbersome than earplugs, but they don’t interfere with earwax. If you can sleep with them, try wearing a pair of earmuffs at night. Sleep is important, so if you can’t fall or stay asleep wearing earmuffs, choose a different option.
- Custom earplugs. Custom-made earplugs are made to fit the exact shape of your ears. Unlike foam earplugs, which go deeper into the ear canal and may not be as effective at blocking out sound, custom options cover the ear canal without shoving wax deep down.
- Silicone options. Silicone earplugs tend to be smaller than foam or custom options. They’re close in size to a pair of in-ear headphones. While they may not block out all sound, they are a popular option for nighttime use because they’re smaller, gentle on the ear canal and easier to sleep with.
How To Minimize Earwax Blockages
Earwax blockages affect approximately 5% of adults. Cleaning your earplugs daily is one great way to minimize blockages. You should also clean your outer ears (the visible part of your ears) regularly. Wash your outer ears with a damp cloth every few days to clean them safely. You should never put anything in your ears, including cotton swabs, hair pins or fingers. Attempting to clean your ear canal with these small objects can damage the ear canal and lead to greater wax production.
If you have frequent earwax blockages, contact ENT of Georgia North today for professional cleanings and advice on safe at-home earwax maintenance.
