Prolonged exposure to sound louder than 80 decibels may damage your hearing over time. Earplugs help prevent this by blocking out the loud sounds, and in situations with a lot of background noise, may make it easier to hear certain sounds, like other people talking. Earplugs have some advantages over other types of hearing protection like soundproof headphones--they're light, discrete and won't leave you sweaty in hot climates. But earplugs are not without their problems, especially when used incorrectly.
Impacted Earwax
Shove an earplug too far into your ear and you may be packing earwax deep into your ear--a condition that's uncomfortable at best. Possible complications include tinnitus or hearing loss. Avoid this problem by inserting earplugs only as far as the external ear canal. Once they block sound, you've inserted them far enough.
Infection
Earplugs should be sanitized before each use, or they may give harmful bacteria a direct conduit to your inner ear. Disposable earplugs are difficult-to-impossible to sanitize, which is why they're meant to be used once, then discarded. If you must use earplugs regularly, use a sanitizable rubber model intended for reuse.
Poor Fit
Disposable earplugs are formable; they'll expand to fit your ears. But if you struggle with inserting formable earplugs correctly, or find that they're consistently uncomfortable, you may prefer using soft, premolded ear inserts that come in different sizes. If you still can't find a comfortable fit, consider custom-molded earplugs. Purchase custom-molded earplugs from an audiologist, or purchase a do-it-yourself kit to create your own durable, reusable custom-molded plugs.
Improper Insertion
Even the best-fitted earplugs won't do you any good unless they're inserted properly. Try the following tips from the Oklahoma State University's fact sheet on hearing protection: Reach behind your head and grasp the top of your ear with your opposite hand. Pull up. This straightens the ear canal. Insert the earplug, then hold it, and your ear, in place until the earplug expands. Note that a custom-molded earplug will not need to expand to fit your ear.
