Hearing protection for swimming

• Reduce the risk of swimmer’s ear with custom-made swim plugs
• Custom swimming earplugs from Audinc

01 Watertight yet sound-permeable, for dry ears and clear sound.

02 Soft floating material that sits comfortably without pressure.

03 Fitted at our service locations, for a shape that fits only your ear.

Why it is better to keep water out of your ears

Water in your ears is mostly just unpleasant at first: sounds go dull and it feels as though there is cotton wool in your ear. If that moisture stays put for longer, the protective layer of skin in your ear canal softens and bacteria get a hold more easily. That is exactly the point at which mild irritation can turn into itching or real ear pain.

Whether you swim lengths, duck under in the pool or head for open water, there is always a chance of water getting in. And it is not limited to swimming: in the shower or the bath, water runs into your ear canal just as easily.

Some people are troubled by it more than others. If you have a narrow ear canal, grommets or sensitive skin, moisture lingers sooner and complaints come back more often. In that case an earplug that keeps the water out is not a luxury but a practical solution. In chlorinated water and salt water there is the added factor that the water itself dries out the skin.

Swimmer’s ear and surfer’s ear: the difference in brief

Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) is an inflammation of the skin in your ear canal. You recognise it by pain that gets worse when you tug on your ear or when you chew, by itching, sometimes by discharge, and by hearing less well. It rarely clears up on its own and belongs with your GP. What causes it and how to spot it is set out in our article on swimmer’s ear. If it is the pain itself you are dealing with, ear pain after swimming will help you further.

Surfer’s ear is something else. It is a gradual bone growth in the ear canal, called exostoses, in response to prolonged exposure to cold water and wind. The process is slow and goes unnoticed at first. Only later do you notice a dull feeling, recurring infections or an ear canal that has become so narrow that water and dirt stay trapped in it. If you surf or kitesurf regularly, read custom-made surf earplugs.

If you suspect you are developing surfer’s ear, have it looked at by an ENT doctor. Preventing it remains simpler than curing it, and the simplest way is to close off your ear canal for as long as you are in the water.

Custom-made swimming earplugs or universal swim plugs?

Universal swim plugs cost a few euros at the chemist, and for the odd occasion they do their job. The problem is the fit: every ear canal has a different shape, so one standard size seals neatly on one person and not on another. If a gap is left open, water still gets in. And a plug that does not sit firmly is one you tend to push too far into your ear or lose in the pool.

Custom-made earplugs solve that at the source. We take an impression of your ear and make the plug to match, so it closes off the ear canal completely without pressing anywhere. You notice that in three ways:

• The seal. No gap means no water, chlorine or salt seeping in.
• Comfort. No pressure points, not even if you swim lengths for an hour or wear a swimming cap.
• They stay put. You do not lose one halfway down a length, and in the floating version a plug that does come out simply stays on the surface.

On top of that it works out cheaper in the long run: you are not replacing a set every season. You get a minimum 2-year warranty on the material, and with normal use the plugs last for years. Cleaning is a matter of tap water.

And you are not cut off from your surroundings. The Dry Ears has a water filter that attenuates sound by only about 5 dB. Water stays out, but you can still hear the lifeguard, your swimming coach or a conversation at the poolside.

Swimming earplugs for children

Children spend the most time with their heads under water and often have sensitive ears at the same time. Swimming earplugs are then a simple solution: their ears stay dry and your child can join in with swimming lessons as normal, instructions from the teacher included.

We use a recommended minimum age of 4 for the fitting. For children under 12 we ask you to get in touch first, so we can discuss with the parents what is sensible. Sometimes a three-year-old is ready for it, sometimes we advise against it for a five-year-old; that depends on the child.

Bear in mind that children’s ears keep growing. Check regularly that the plugs still seal properly, because a set can last less long for young children than for adults. If your child has grommets, swimming earplugs can be worn safely, but talk to the treating doctor first about which type suits best.

Dry Ears or Dry Music: which one suits you?

There are two earplugs in this category, with a clear difference between them.

The Dry Ears is the swim plug for most people. Soft silicone, available in a floating version, with a water filter that attenuates about 5 dB. You keep water out and stay aware of what is going on around you. For surfing and sailing there is a detachable cord with clip, so the plugs stay with you if they come out.

The Dry Music is the same watertight fit with a built-in mp3 player. That one closes off completely, so you no longer hear your surroundings, and it is meant for people who swim lengths to music. There is more about it in Dry Music: music while swimming.

Not sure? Choose Dry Ears if dry ears are the point and contact with your surroundings matters to you, and Dry Music if music underwater is the reason you are buying them.

Also for showering, surfing and sailing

The plugs are not just for the pool. They work just as well in the shower or the bath, and in watersports such as surfing, kitesurfing and sailing they also protect against wind and cold. For those sports we supply them with a removable cord, so they stay in place.

One thing to know: you do not go deep diving with swim plugs in. Between the plug and your eardrum there is a sealed layer of air. As you descend, the water pressure rises while the pressure in that layer stays behind, and the difference pulls on your eardrum. Ducking under or picking a coin off the bottom in shallow water is no problem, but do not go deeper than about a metre and do not jump in from a height with them. There is more about this in can you dive with the swimming earplugs?

How to have your swimming earplugs fitted

The fitting costs you nothing and takes about 20 minutes. At one of our service locations we take an impression of your ear, you look at the versions (floating or not, colour, cord), and after that we make the plugs in our own 3D lab in Eindhoven. Production takes 15 working days; if you need them sooner, an express order is possible.

Do you wear a swimming cap? Bring it along to the appointment and we will take it into account in the fit.

Book an appointment online or get in touch if you would like to talk it through first.