Ear Defenders

Shardovan said:

if slippage could be lessened somehow that would be great.

you get different sized buds to replace the ones that come as default - most earphones come with 3 sizes but larger sizes are available - have a look on eBay for earphone buds - they are only a few pounds typically.

Incidentally, the week before I was at another family gathering (two couples married very close together in 1974!), which was a meal at which music was played in the background. I said to one relative at the end 'It was nice to have the music at a reasonable volume at once, normally it would deafen you' and she genuinely looked non-plussed and said 'There was music?!' So I guess I must have extra extra sensitivity!

I know that for me (and maybe I just have weirdly shaped ear canals) my 'flare' ones slip out a fair bit over several minutes and I have to keep poking them back in, forcing me to momentarily look like someone who enjoys sticking his finger in there. 

I hadn't used mine in a while but last night they were retrieved as I had to go unavoidably to a family anniversary do/disco thingy. I needed at least the edge taken off the inevitably way-too-loud music, and there was something like a 10% benefit for sure. But the slippage began quite soon into the evening. Only my dad asked 'what's that in your ear?' I've told him on other similar occasions, so I'm not sure whether he's genuinely forgetting or subtly expressing disapproval of the 'solution' being at least a little visible. Anyway. yes, if slippage could be lessened somehow that would be great. My ears were also a little sore/sensitive after from where the contact with plastic was greatest but overall the hassle to 'this helps a bit' ratio is probably a good overall trade-off!

Once people you live with know why you wear them, they are like a great big flashing "Not right now" sign...

Ear defenders sure do help.

a lovely testimony!

It took me around 8 months to finally try ear defenders. I too felt like I would be drawing attention to myself if I wore them. I tried the inner ear ones and didn’t like the feel of them and couldn’t get them to stay in my ear. I found the music over the head earphones too big for my head. I had Samsung wireless headphones which I liked as they sat in my ear rather than deep inside but I just could still hear everything else around me. 
Eventually I gave in and tried ear defenders and I have never smiled so fast in my life. Until that moment I don’t think I have ever felt calm before in my life. I felt calm like never before. My nervous system wasn’t agitated. From that moment on, I have never looked back. 
I just didn’t care what I looked like or what people thought of me. I just knew they had transformed my life. I personally love music and podcasts so I always wear my Samsung wireless headphones and then I put my ear defenders on top. It’s the best of both worlds! 
My ear defenders are yellow - I just got them off Amazon. No one ever looks at me when I am out and about. No one batters an eyelid and for the most part I think people just think they are yellow headphones. Giving in and wearing ear defenders was one of the best decisions I ever made! 

I understand not wanting people to know. You have to decide one day whether it matters or not. These days big wonderful NC over ear headphones are quiet common. I wear big Bose headphones. They are around my nexk where ever I go. I love them can play binaural beats and music or audio books as well, or just bask in blissful silence.

PAX said:

I have tried the discreet little ear bud ear defenders, but felt uncomfortable.

Can you describe in more detail how they make you feel uncomfortable please? This will help us suggest modifications to make them better or to focus on other forms of ear protection.