Can't seem to find the right tips?

[Eddie_Vanjovi]

I wonder if I should just spend the money and go custom?

I used to be able to grab whatever medium tips, throw them in, and not a problem. Since the past year or so, my ears have become incredible "sensitive" and can't tolerate in-ears for long. Another thing I've noticed is that my ear cannels will begin to "close" and eventually plug the spinfits I use. Either that, "normal" tips eventually begin to hurt as they put too much pressure on the inside of my ears. I used to never have this issue before. Talking with IEMs in eventually cause pain.

I've tried TRI Clarions, various foams (New bee, Dekonis, complys, etc), spin fits, whatever stock pairs come with various iems, etc.

Anyone had a similar issue before? Would using custom molds be the route to go? I do work in a railyard but use adequate protection of 29-32 dB. I wonder if working in a loud environment for so long has naturally made my ears "close"? I don't notice any loss of hearing.

Cheers for any input.

 

[RayDunzl]

Anyone had a similar issue before? Would using custom molds be the route to go?

Go to the store.

Buy some "Pillow Soft® Silicone Putty Ear Plugs"

Remove the tips from your IEM.

Mold the Mack's around the IEM.

Stuff it in yer ear.

Voila! Instant custom mold, just to try it out.

Maybe.

 

[Eddie_Vanjovi]

Go to the store.

Buy some "Pillow Soft® Silicone Putty Ear Plugs"

Remove the tips from your IEM.

Mold the Mack's around the IEM.

Stuff it in yer ear.

Voila! Instant custom mold, just to try it out.

Maybe.

Ordered. I'll give these a shot.

 

[Soandso]

Cholesteatoma is benign cells forming a cyst past a tympanic membrane rupture. Simple ruptures can occur from what a amounts to acute trauma and even pressure change, not just infection. The rupture can be very small, or bigger and fortunately for most can also heal by itself.

The cholesteatoma can exude "debris", including getting back outward into the ear canal through the tympanic membrane rupture. And of course the thing can cause pressure and swelling (which may be what you perceive as the canal seeming to have changed proportions an/or "close" up on an IEM tip).

I mention this since you posted symptoms difficult to attribute as caused by IEM tips. Below is a pictoral representation of cholesteatoma debris pushing back into the ear canal. You can find lots of actual clinical photographs on-line showing different cases.