Hearing protection: a practical guide
Noise damage to your hearing is permanent, but it is almost entirely preventable. How loud is too loud, which protection to use, and how to wear it properly, for work, music, sleep, shooting and swimming.
Hearing you lose to noise does not come back.
Loud sound damages the tiny hair cells in your inner ear that turn sound into nerve signals. A single very loud event, such as a gunshot or an explosion, can damage them instantly. More often the damage builds up slowly, over years of loud work, music or hobbies, until speech starts to sound mumbled and tinnitus appears.
Those hair cells do not regrow, so noise-induced hearing loss is permanent. The good news is that wearing the right protection, properly, prevents almost all of it.
the noise is probably loud enough to damage your hearing over time.
is a sign your ears have been overloaded. It often settles, but repeated episodes cause lasting damage.
Guides for every situation.
Practical advice for the most common kinds of noise exposure.
Your rights, your employer's duties, and how to protect your hearing in a noisy job.
Read the noise at work guideFiltered earplugs for musicians, DJs and gig-goers, and how to enjoy loud music safely.
Read the guide for musicThe best earplugs for sleep, how to use them safely every night, and alternatives.
Read the guide for sleepWhy a single gunshot can cause permanent damage, and protection that still lets you hear.
Read the guide for shootingKeeping water out to prevent ear infections and surfer's ear.
Read the guide for swimmingWhat noise does to your hearing, the early signs, and what helps.
Read about noise-induced hearing lossHow loud is too loud?
Sound is measured in decibels (dB). The scale is logarithmic, so every 3 dB increase roughly doubles the sound energy, and halves the time you can safely spend in it. As a guide, sustained noise above about 85 dB carries a risk of damage over time.
- Around 60 dB: normal conversation.
- Around 80 to 85 dB: heavy traffic, a busy restaurant, a food blender.
- Around 90 to 100 dB: power tools, a motorcycle at speed, a loud pub.
- Around 100 to 110 dB: a nightclub or live concert near the speakers.
- Above 140 dB: gunshots and fireworks close by, which can cause instant damage.
A free sound meter app on your phone gives a useful rough reading of the places you spend time in.
Types of hearing protection.
- Foam earplugs: cheap and very effective when rolled and inserted properly. Single use.
- Reusable earplugs: silicone or flanged plugs that can be washed and reused.
- Filtered or musicians' earplugs: reduce volume evenly across pitches, so music and speech sound natural, just quieter.
- Earmuffs: quick to put on and off, good for intermittent noise and for people who find earplugs uncomfortable.
- Electronic protection: lets quiet sounds and conversation through, but cuts off loud impulses such as gunshots.
- Custom-moulded protection: made from an impression of your ear for a precise, comfortable fit, often with interchangeable filters.
Protection is rated with an SNR value, the average reduction in decibels. More is not always better. Too much protection makes it hard to hear speech and warning signals, and people tend to take it out. Choose enough to bring the noise down to a comfortable level, ideally below 80 dB at your ear.
Know where your hearing stands.
If you are regularly around loud noise, a hearing test is the best way to catch changes early.
A full test gives you a record of your hearing now, so any future change can be measured.
For people in noisy jobs or hobbies, a yearly or two-yearly test shows whether your protection is working.
Ringing after noise is common. Tinnitus assessment and advice are part of every hearing test.
If noise has already affected your hearing, modern hearing aids can restore much of the detail you are missing.
Frequently asked questions.
Sustained exposure above about 85 dB can damage hearing over time, and the louder the noise the less time it takes. Very loud impulses, such as gunshots, can cause damage instantly.
For reducing volume, foam earplugs fitted properly are very effective. Reusable, filtered and custom-moulded options are more comfortable for regular use and keep sound more natural.
Yes. Over-protecting makes speech and warning sounds hard to hear, and wearing earplugs all the time in quiet places can increase sensitivity to sound. Use protection matched to the noise.
It is common, but it is a warning sign that your ears were overloaded. It usually fades within a day or two. If it does not, or keeps happening, get your hearing tested.
Your employer should arrange regular hearing checks if you are exposed to high noise levels at work. Outside of that, a test every one to two years is sensible if you are regularly around loud noise.
Get a baseline hearing test.
Free in our Birmingham clinic, or £50 at home, with results explained the same day.
Noise at workMusicians' earplugsNoise-induced hearing lossTinnitusHyperacusis
Written and clinically reviewed by our HCPC registered audiologists. Last reviewed: 15 October 2026. This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your hearing or your ears, book an appointment or speak to your GP.