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Ear, nose, and throat

Will frequent earplug use hurt my hearing?

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By , Managing Director
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Wearing earplugs helps protect the inner ears from loud sounds that can damage hearing. It should be safe to wear earplugs frequently—as long as they are clean and inserted properly, they aren’t causing earwax buildup or pain, and they aren’t used to avoid non-threatening everyday noise.

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About the Author

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Heidi Godman, Managing Director

Heidi Godman directs all news gathering for Harvard Health Publishing, and also directs the curation and production of HHP's four monthly subscription publications (the Harvard Health Letter, Harvard Heart Letter, Harvard Men's Health Watch, and Harvard Women's Health … See Full Bio
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About the Reviewer

photo of Meaghan Reed, AuD, CCC-A

Meaghan Reed, AuD, CCC-A, Contributor

Meaghan Reed is the director of clinical audiology at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear. She is a licensed, nationally certified audiologist and a member of professional associations including the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). See Full Bio
View all posts by Meaghan Reed, AuD, CCC-A
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