custom earbuds for stethoscopes

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Help! Can anyone tell me where to get custom earbuds for stethoscopes? I have great hearing, but weird ear canals, according to an audiologist. I can hear sometimes, but then when I move my head the sound totally cuts off, sometimes in the middle of reading a B/P. My audiologist says she can make custom earbuds, but that they would need to permanently attach to the stethoscope. Since I am not sure if this will fix my problem, I don't want to permanently change the stethoscope. Any help as to where I can get custom earbuds that just slip on would be SO appreciated! Thanks.

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Is there a website with the info? :)

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The ones online that I found want you to take the mold of your ear canal yourself, and I would rather not do that.

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

What kind of stethoscope are you using? Does it have plastic ear buds or rubber? I use a littman master classic SE and I find that the rubber ear buds mold pretty easily to my ear when they are in the right place.

Are there replacement ear buds that you can buy? Maybe a foam or pliable rubber? Custom ear buds seem expensive, especially if you have to keep them on one stethoscope.

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Ohh I would love to get some as well!! I have the Littmann Cardiology III and I put the smallest earbuds on it, but they are still WAY too big for my ears. They don't go into my ear canals at all and often aren't even aligned right as they move all over when I move (as they are way too big). I can't afford to pay a lot, but it is frustrating having to use a hand to hold the ear pieces in my ear to hear anything :(

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
The ones online that I found want you to take the mold of your ear canal yourself, and I would rather not do that.

How else would they be "custom" ... if not made from your individual ear mold?

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How else would they be "custom" ... if not made from your individual ear mold?

I think the person meant they didn't want to be responsible for making the mold incorrectly and thus spending a lot of $$ on something that didn't fit. The individual would prefer to find a place to go to that would take the mold of your ear for you and then make the custom ear pieces.

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Specializes in High Risk Antepartum.

They're not "custom" per se, but have you tried the Gel Seal ones? They're filled with this soft, well, glycerin gel. ;)

I put them on my Littman II SE, and they're awesome. Much, much better than the original hard ones. I found them at a local uniform place, but I've seen them on Redding Medical. The ones I have are clear with blue liquid in them.

For less than $20, worth a shot. Good luck!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the Nursing Stethoscope forum

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Regarding the glycerine gel ear buds, the only ones I found had a comment in the small text that they do not fit littman stethoscopes. Where did you get yours?

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Specializes in High Risk Antepartum.

I bought mine in a uniform store here in NJ -- Somes Uniform in Hackensack. They say Gel Seal on them and fit my Littman II SE without a problem. I remember that you had to kind of pop them on. They're clear with the blue gel inside. They came in the little clear plastic box. I think I paid maybe $12-15ish for them.

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Hi persevere. I have the same issue. Did you ever get it solved? The audiologist said I have z-shaped canals and the ENT said they are very narrow. He said I should get smaller ear buds. I am using the smallest ones and still can only hear sounds occasionally if I move my head just right. It's very frustrating. No one has mentioned molded ear buds to me. I guess I will call other audiologists. I am currently using a Littman master cardiology.

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