Hearing problems are on the rise and it is becoming a serious issue. Hearing loss is the third most common type of disability in developed countries.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than 360 million people across the world have disabling hearing loss. Hearing problems can be caused by a number of factors, including noise exposure, infection, ageing, side effects from medication and earwax buildup.
The World Health Organization recommends that adults expose themselves to less than 85 decibels to prevent hearing damage.
There are different types of hearing problems. Some are temporary problems and some are permanent problems.
It is important to see a doctor if you experience any of these below symptoms.
- You can’t hear someone talking to you from 3 feet away
- You find it difficult to hear voices on the phone or in crowded places
- You have difficulty hearing when there is background noise like television, music, or other people talking
- Your family tells you that your voice sounds muffled or unclear
- You have tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or vertigo (spinning sensation)
In order to prevent hearing problems from occurring in the future, we should take precautions such as wearing earmuffs in loud environments and avoiding listening to loud music for long periods of time without breaks.
There are many precautions to take to avoid hearing loss treatment. For example, if you are going to a concert, make sure you wear earplugs or headphones. If you have a baby, keep the volume at a low level and never let them sleep with a mobile phone next to their ear.
Hearing loss is often caused by exposure to loud noises for prolonged periods of time. The risk of hearing loss increases with age because as we get older our ears become less sensitive and so we don’t notice the sound as much.