And so I try to protect my ears. For this I have a choice between earplugs and earmuffs. Earplugs are those small inserts that fit into the outer ear canal. They must be airtight to be effective. Wads of cotton stuffed into the ear do a poor job, reducing the noise only by about seven dBs.
Earmuffs are larger and more expensive.
They resemble the ones we used to wear against frostbite, only these are made of plastic with foam-lined interiors. Again, these have noise reduction ratings of between 15 and 30 dBs. Used in combination, earplugs and earmuffs will provide an additional 10 to 15 dB reduction over using either one alone. But neither will work unless fitted properly. When my own voice sounds louder and deeper to me, then I know I am wearing them correctly.