Do Ear Plugs Stretch Ear Canals?

Unfortunately, I'm having obstacles and setbacks when it comes to studying for my college classes, and am looking to find solutions to distracting noise, whenever it's around. I don't know how some people can do it, though I'd guess chances are they are people who end up doing not as good as people with complete quiet. Not counting personal favorite music.

I've tried ear plugs (ones you can buy like at a market) that you compress and then automatically stretch after you put them in your ear. It's a bit uncomfortable but I may go through it if it helps me study, but I also felt it may be stretching my ear canals in the long run...this of course isn't good, since it's leaving you more vulnerable to high decibels in the future when you don't have them on (which will be most of the time, or, when you're not in college or sleeping).

Would these kinds of ear plugs (ones that compress and stretch) do this to your ear canal in the long run? Even to slight degrees, because if so then they're probably not worth it. I guess then I'll have to rely on some good quality ear muffs.

There is no evidence to suggest that they do.

I can assure from personal experience that the compressible foam ear plugs will NOT stretch the ear canal.

I can also say that ear plugs pushes wax down the canal, during the first years of my (former) working years, I was failing the hearing tests after only a year. After an exam by the occupational nurse, this was found.

The company paid for me to go to a specialist, and from then on, I used a noise reducing headset, they paid for this too. Kind of like the ones that are used on the shooting range.

If you're having problems with earplugs, a headset would be a great option.

Cat

Hello~

Yes Cattilley is correct the ear plugs CAN push the wax in your ear down further..


As far as "distorting" your ear canal, I have never heard of that happening. Im sure is "possible" but like anything else, and any other parts of your body(especially cartilage based) the more you refquently "distort" it the more of a chance it will stay in that position. ( Ok yeah let the 'puns" begin here)

Be that as it is, I would assume it would take YEARS for that to happen.

If you are REALLY worried about it , you COULD get the "Moldable" Wax ear plugs, like the ones they recoomend for kids or adults that get "Ear tubes" those do work just as well as the foam ones,, and they DON'T expand they mold to your ear canal or ear lobe as YOU want them to.

Side note reagrding Ear wax problems, every once in a whille take a cap ful of Hydrogen Peroxide and flush your ears out with it every once in a while, it WILL alleviate any "wax plugs" you may happen to have in your ears. Its DEFINATELY a "funky" feeling and it may take a couple treatments to get all the "junk" out but well worth the effort, and SAFEER than using Q-tips to clean your ears out This is especially good if you work in a dusty environment.

Just my thoughts.
~LoneWolf

I mis-posted.... I meant they don't stretch the ear canal!!

Had a brain cramp!

They may push ear wax into the canal further, if one has an excess buildup of the stuff. Just don't wear them too much so the natural cilia hairs can move out the wax.

Problem with the waxy plugs is that they're greasy (read reviews of some on Amazon) and I was hoping for otherwise. I just thought it would be a moldable thing that didn't leave a residue on your or anything - like a piece of gum. Why not?

Currently though I've been using...well...square toilet paper sheets. They're soft enough and each sheet is very small and thin that after you fold them twice or thrice, slightly wet them, and fold them about 7-8 times (total) into the size of an ear plug...squeeze as much water out of them, and since they're very soft you can pretty much keep squeezing them with your hands to mold them to your ear canal. They're comfortable enough...and of course clean as opposed to messy.

That's what you get when living with 4 people, 2 of which are obnoxious. -_-

According to the old British comedy Allo,Allo, Plugs of gruyere cheese work well

Lol no thanks.

This thread is serving NO purpose whatsoever! In addition, it was revived after 5 months.

I am closing it now.

For answers to a question such as which started the thread, Google or http://www.askthedoctor.com/