Any problems wearing both earplugs and ear muffs?

panop

Member
I have both tinnitus and hyperacusis. As a result I wear both ear plugs and ear muffs. I realize the decrease in db's is pretty minimal in wearing both. My question is, anyone else have problems with pressure from impact(especially rim shots) or possible bone conduction noise that makes it uncomfortable? I'm wondering if that could be as harmful as the outside noise. Plugs or muffs alone are not usually enough unfortunately.
 
Actually if you can hear what you need/want to hear the combination will be fine. I have in the past worn both and I don't see any down side as long as you can hear adequately.
 
I have worn both, and I have worn in-ear monitors under acoustic muffs to get more sound isolation in the past. Nothing wrong with it at all.
 
I usually wear one or the other when playing drums but wear both when shooting guns. The decibel level from gunshots is much higher than rim shots or any other drum noise and I've never had an issue.
 
When I'm tracking I use small flange style plugs (vaters, alpines) under the headphones. Works fine, keeps all the loud noises from my ears.
 
I have both tinnitus and hyperacusis. As a result I wear both ear plugs and ear muffs. I realize the decrease in db's is pretty minimal in wearing both.

The decrease is significant, it's just not additive.

http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/extra-protection-wearing-earmuffs-and-1218

In that example, the combination increases attenuation by 11dB, which would be halving the level experienced with plugs only. So, plugs reduce the levels to 1/8 of unattenuated, adding muffs gets you to 1/16.
 
I wear my iPhone earbuds under protective muffs. That way I don't have to crank the volume on my metronome. Seems to work well.
 
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