Molded ear plugs done at the gun show - beware

[ETex2]

Had some custom molded earplugs done at a booth in the gun show. The kind where your ear is plugged for protection, then silicone is injected into the ear for a snug custom fit. I do have earwax problems and told him as much. Experienced excruciating pain during the removal of the plug. Bottom line - my eardrum is now perforated and I MAY be looking at some serious hassles and expense as a result. Just a heads up.

[gigag04]

Just had some made in home by a reputable supplier who's a paramedic/FF and avid shooter in my city. Couldn't be happier. I hope your situation is unique.

[TLynnHughes]

Had some custom molded earplugs done at a booth in the gun show. The kind where your ear is plugged for protection, then silicone is injected into the ear for a snug custom fit. I do have earwax problems and told him as much. Experienced excruciating pain during the removal of the plug. Bottom line - my eardrum is now perforated and I MAY be looking at some serious hassles and expense as a result. Just a heads up.

I had mine done at a local gun range with no issues, but I did wonder if something like that could happen. I sure hope everything goes smoothly for you and there's no permanent damage done. OUCH!

T.

[Right2Carry]

Had my done at my sons ENT specialist. No problems and they provide 29 DB reduction. Love them and couldn't be happier. I should have done this a long time ago. My son has a perforated ear drum and has had one surgery already that failed to close the opening. I hope your situation is not as bad as my sons. He will need another attempt at surgery and skin graft.

My son also needed the custom ear plugs for swimming to keep water out of his ear.

[gigag04]

Yeah the nrr is great. I think I'm at 32dB with a port to hear voices.

[Oldgringo]

Speaking of hearing protection why are hearing aids so expensive and i-pods and smart phones etc. so relativey cheap? Is there a hearind aid racket or what?

[PappaGun]

Speaking of hearing protection why are hearing aids so expensive and i-pods and smart phones etc. so relativey cheap? Is there a hearind aid racket or what?

I believe it is a racket

If you look at the way they are marketed it is similar Sears siding. In fact Sears sells both siding and hearing aids.


The iphone (and all cell phones) are subsidised. What you pay when you start a contract is no where near the retail price of the phone. If you have lost a phone and had to buy a replacement you know this. It costs about $650 to buy a replacement iphone at retail. But that's still no where near the cost of hearing aids. And I think the hearing aid cost is so high because they have so many middleman where phones are more direct to consumer, and because any medical device these days is extraordinarily expensive, well, just because.

I have a grand daughter with hearing aids. IMO there is no justification for the cost. But they know that the parents will do whatever is necessary to provide for their daughter.

Sorry, this is a sore spot for me.

I hope it works out for the OP.
I consider getting those every time I go to a show, but the line is usually too long and I don't want to wait.

[E.Marquez]

Excuse my ignorance; but I am missing the connection to what you had done and the vehicle causing a perforated eardrum.
Was it mechanical with a tool used to remove the plug?
The plug itself upon insertion?
Chemical interaction by something they put in your ear?
Infection caused by the process?

[Pawpaw]

Excuse my ignorance; but I am missing the connection to what you had done and the vehicle causing a perforated eardrum.
Was it mechanical with a tool used to remove the plug?
The plug itself upon insertion?
Chemical interaction by something they put in your ear?
Infection caused by the process?

He said, "Experienced excruciating pain during the removal of the plug."

That says to me that the vacuum created when they removed the plug caused it.

[E.Marquez]

Excuse my ignorance; but I am missing the connection to what you had done and the vehicle causing a perforated eardrum.
Was it mechanical with a tool used to remove the plug?
The plug itself upon insertion?
Chemical interaction by something they put in your ear?
Infection caused by the process?

He said, "Experienced excruciating pain during the removal of the plug."

That says to me that the vacuum created when they removed the plug caused it.

Well that’s kind of my point of my post, there are several possible methods of damage one can guess about…
Did the tech go to dig out the plug and perforate the eardrum with a tool? Or was it perforated as your suggesting? Or?? some other means I suggested? Or ????????????????.

I’ve got time, so I’ll wait for the OP to tell us how it actually happened, vs more of my guesses…

[WildBill]

Excuse my ignorance; but I am missing the connection to what you had done and the vehicle causing a perforated eardrum.
Was it mechanical with a tool used to remove the plug?
The plug itself upon insertion?
Chemical interaction by something they put in your ear?
Infection caused by the process?

He said, "Experienced excruciating pain during the removal of the plug."

That says to me that the vacuum created when they removed the plug caused it.

That would be my take on it. Unless the guy put too much stuff in the ear so that it actually touched the eardrum.

[paulhailes]

Ouch, that sounds like that hurts, I hope everything turns out all right for you.

[Dave2]

He said, "Experienced excruciating pain during the removal of the plug."

That says to me that the vacuum created when they removed the plug caused it.

Just a quick PSA in the dept... Guitar Center sells "Skull Skrews" (I think) earplugs that do that to me all the time. There's a bit of a thread pattern molded into the foam; they seal up so tight that you have to literally unscrew them from your head (slowly, with some gentle wiggling) or it pulls a vacuum. It's fairly easy to over-pressurize your ear canal on the way in with them, too. Once they're in there, they're not too bad as earplugs. However, I don't fancy taking 5 minutes to get my plugs in, and 10 to work them out. Especially since I have to listen for a living, which keeps me taking my plugs out to check the sound of something, then putting them back in several times an hour. I don't have the time to deal with those particular earplugs, nor the inclination to risk my ears every time I need to actually hear what's going on.

[punkndisorderly]

Guess I wasn't totally paranoid about not wanting "some guy at a gun show" injecting things into my ears.

I don't like reusable ear plugs. Didn't like them in the Army, don't like the idea of them now. If i'm sticking something in my ear, I want it clean, at least going in. Maybe if I tried some, I might change my mind. For now, my peltor electronic muffs and foam plugs work great.

[E.Marquez]

If your situation allows, my opinion is the best thing going for hearing safety, is electron ear muffs.

I discovered these years ago as they were hawked to us from Peltor as a Military combo earmuff, listening enhancement and radio comms earpiece.

Protecting your hearing with an instant on electronic earmuff, that has the ability to enhance listening electronically as well (big ear type deal) is for me, a hard of hearing for tones in the human speech range..a very nice item. I choose to use this even when it’s hot, and a bit uncomfortable for the advantages.

I started using them in my shop as well when doing hours worth of on again off again grinding, or wok with the lathe, mill, drill press..

So as an alternative to those looking for a option, there ya go.This is what I use, when I dont need headset (radio) function
http://peltorcomms.3m.com/Americas/Prod ... gory_Id=37" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With radio headset function

http://peltorcomms.3m.com/Americas/Prod ... gory_Id=37" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;