Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 33 posts

Re: Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

#21

Post by prirun »

FearNotDaniel wrote: post #12
rumpelstinkin wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks. Unfortunately I've already moved once with noise as the priority and it didn't work out. About the silicon ones, were they the ones which are custom made?

I'm guessing it's something similar to these, they come in different brand names depending on which country you're in and I can highly recommend them, having tried many different earplugs myself. Much more effective than the foam types and almost as cheap: https://www.amazon.com/Macks-Pillow-Soft-Silicone-Earplugs/d...

The silicone earplugs have a noise reduction rating (NRR) of 22dB. I use these, which have a NRR rating of 33dB:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051U7W32

I don't like using them full size because they tend to make my ear sore when worn for long periods, so I cut about 1/4" off the smaller end. I wash mine when I take a shower, so this bottle of 50 pairs has lasted nearly 10 years.

I have tinnitus caused by working in a computer room with loud blowers, and wearing ear plugs most of the time helps a lot. Good luck!

Re: Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

#22

Post by teejmya »

I have found that noise can "get to me" sometimes as well, and I recently tried Loops brand earplugs on a recommendation from a friend. I recommend them as they are comfortable, effective, and come with 5 sizes of tips to ensure you get a good fit. They also come in a tiny travel case that I keep on my car keys.

https://us.loopearplugs.com/pages/quiz

There are two dampening levels and I recommend you try the very quiet one, maybe purchase them through Amazon so that you can return them if they don't work for you. Additionally I haven't found any noticeable difference between the metal and plastic variants; the plastic ones are fine and a bit cheaper!

Hope this helps.

Re: Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

#23

Post by ffhhj »

aintmeit wrote: post #13
rumpelstinkin wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

honestly, you are being very arrogant. Loudspeakers pumped out at 120db are far too loud. A dog barking at 100db is far too loud. A motorbike revving at 115db is far too loud. If it happens all fucking day, every fucking day, often for several hours without any pause, it is far too loud. Please stop propagating the myth that it's all in my mind. Would you say it to someone who is being gangraped? Noise pollution is g…

I can see how you would say that I'm propagating a myth that it's all in your mind. What I did not question was the existence of the noise. Like any health care professional would do, I was asking for an explanation between sound, control, safety, and suicide. Without more information, the conclusions seemed like a non-sequitur, much like how I would want to see how to connect the dots between noise pollution and gan…

This is an improbable exaggeration pattern. A user exaggerates the description of their problem to induce others to understand their pain, then another user requests proof for the exaggeration. The outcome? A cycle of posts with new exaggerations and proof requests.

Thanks for the sample, I'm building a social network with lower noise to signal ratio. Being aware of these social patterns allows filtering them.

Re: Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

#24

Post by aintmeit »

ffhhj wrote: post #23
aintmeit wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can see how you would say that I'm propagating a myth that it's all in your mind. What I did not question was the existence of the noise. Like any health care professional would do, I was asking for an explanation between sound, control, safety, and suicide. Without more information, the conclusions seemed like a non-sequitur, much like how I would want to see how to connect the dots between noise pollution and gan…

This is an improbable exaggeration pattern. A user exaggerates the description of their problem to induce others to understand their pain, then another user requests proof for the exaggeration. The outcome? A cycle of posts with new exaggerations and proof requests. Thanks for the sample, I'm building a social network with lower noise to signal ratio. Being aware of these social patterns allows filtering them.

I am not asking for proof. A demonstration of proof is not a required part of HN discussion nor would I want it to be. I am asking for an explanation in the OP's reasoning because I'm interested in their patterns of thinking since I am genuinely trying to help this person cope.

If your tolerance level for engaging with others stops at what you call exaggeration patterns, then you would certainly think things would be better off in a different kind of social network. Best of luck.

Re: Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

#25

Post by toast0 »

If you're looking for temporary respite, I have some suggestions.

In my area, sensory deprivation 'spas' are coming back, there's a (local?) chain called float that has been advertising.

Recording studios are heavily sound isolated, and most cities have some. Sort of odd to book an hour and just sit, but maybe they've got some weird holes in their schedule.

If either of those two work, and you have control over your living space, you could pursue home versions of that.

A weekend trip to a nearby national park or the like can be pretty quiet.

Personally, I live in a semi-rural area which reduces the human noises to mostly only my family. But there's still airplanes of all sizes flying overhead, and really loud vehicles far away, and ferry horns. My neighbor's dog sometimes gets in our yard and barks and I can hear our rooster and at least two neighbors (they crow all day, not just at sunrise). Then there's birds and coyotes and what not. Not entirely quiet but close.

Re: Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

#26

Post by cwillu »

I've used standard foam earplugs to sleep in a place where deranged screaming and snoring loud enough to wake the dead is commonplace and I'm _very_ sensitive to noise.

It's possible that you're inserting them incorrectly, most people do. Roll up the foam, insert while pulling your ear back (!). Hold it in while continuing to hold your ear back for 10-15 seconds, long enough for the foam to expand, and then release. This should result in at least as good of a block as you can get with your fingers. Note that there shouldn't be any foam protruding from your ear -- if your head on a pillow feels like it's pressing on the earplug, it's not in far enough.

Re: Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

#27

Post by anonymoose456 »

cwillu wrote: post #26

I've used standard foam earplugs to sleep in a place where deranged screaming and snoring loud enough to wake the dead is commonplace and I'm _very_ sensitive to noise. It's possible that you're inserting them incorrectly, most people do. Roll up the foam, insert while pulling your ear back (!). Hold it in while continuing to hold your ear back for 10-15 seconds, long enough for the foam to expand, and then release.…

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the key understanding for me went even slightly further than that. I don't know exactly how safe it is either, but apparently you need to actually get the foam earplug somewhat into the outer ear canal itself if you really want to block out sound? Especially if you're not supposed to see the foam protruding from the ear, looking straight on.

And not just smoosh it up enough around the outside of the opening as if it were a foam finger held in place by the ear's outer cartilagey bits. So far so good anyway. But make sure you can easily pull it out again in any case.

I don't go around sticking Q-tips into my ear canals either, but at least I don't see a foam earplug being able to reach my eardrums. However, they could both push wax back further into the ear and potentially cause damage? May be a remote cause for concern anyway.

I've also known about having to roll it and pull the ear back, but I still found it rather difficult. Maybe it's not the totally correct way, but I've found rolling it and then pinching the sides a bit allows me to get it in at just the right angle, maybe a bit like an arrow, instead of just bending the tip around outside.

Took some experimenting.

Re: Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

#28

Post by kratom_sandwich »

I have achieved high levels of noise cancellation by combining over-ear noise-cancelling headphones with earplugs. In particular, I used Beyerdynmic DT 770 M headphones, which already have a high level of sound dampening. Obviously, this is a solution for a few hours of working, not for sleep.

Re: Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

#29

Post by bradknowles »

laurieg wrote: post #8

Sorry you're going through this. I had to deal with construction 10 meters away from my window for a year and it is incredible how much it affects your mental state. My suggestions: * Move somewhere quieter if you can and if there is no foreseeable end to the noise. * Practice techniques for calming yourself and accepting the noise. * Put earplugs in and then play loud music/audio through over the ear headphones.

My wife snores very loudly. Even with my loud tinnitus, the 32db NRR earplugs sometimes are not enough to block out her snoring.

I have found that if I wear Bose QC-35 ANC headphones and play pink noise over them at maximum volume, and wear those over the 32db NRR earplugs, that usually drowns out the sound of her snoring and I can get to sleep at night.

I specifically choose the Bose QC-35 headphones because they are my gold standard for comfort, and they have good enough ANC, even though they are no longer the best in the business on that end.

Re: Ask HN: Earplugs as Powerful as Fingers?

#30

Post by LEDThereBeLight »

aintmeit wrote: post #3

Are noise levels commonly associated with suicide? If the noise levels around you are those of a bike, a dog, or music, then that's far from loud. In contrast, have you ever visited a construction site? When you say that one of the things you've tried to stifle the noise is earmuffs, I wonder about the way you're approaching this problem. There exist so many noise-cancelling solutions out there, yet you choose to go…

This comes across as terribly misinformed and condescending at the same time. Try living with someone with autism if you think sensory overload (noise or otherwise) cannot or should not cause real problems for people.
Post reply on HN