Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Control the volume

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The health experts have sounded alarm that many people must be suffering from some sort of hearing loss or other, either undetected or untreated.


Nearly 2.5 billion people — or around a quarter of the global population — are projected to have some degree of hearing loss by 2050, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned in its recent report.


Oman’s Ministry of Health (MoH) has urged citizens and residents not to ignore issues related to hearing and ears. “They should not avoid visiting the doctor to examine the ear if required.”


It also warned that loud sounds and noise may cause hearing loss, including those sounds emanating from personal audio devices such as smartphones, fireworks, and headphones used for long periods and sounds from machines at workplaces.


“The solution is to use personal audio devices or earphones very carefully when listening to music and ensure that volume levels are set to medium limits and only for limited periods of the day,” MoH said.


It also added that the first years in life are the ideal period for the development of speech and language. “Hearing loss has the greatest impact on babies who are born with this condition or are affected soon after birth.”


Workplace noise and vibrations occur at a high level or continue for an extended period, workers are at higher risk of experiencing temporary or permanent hearing loss. Among those at high risk include industrial workers who are exposed to potentially damaging, high-noise situations in factories and even garages.


Noise-induced hearing loss can also cause a wide range of mental disorders, such as irritability, sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, isolation, and hostility.


Speaking to the Observer, a senior ENT specialist at a leading private hospital said,


“We ignore or do not notice subtle changes to hearing or small hearing loss. In newborns, if it is not detected at birth, it can create major difficulties for them at school and play.” And for adults, he said, “They may face difficulties in daily lives and still not go to the doctor, which may lead to advanced hearing loss and living in humiliation.”


Hearing impairment also causes problems related to communication, concentration, and job performance. It is a contributing factor to workplace accidents and injuries and may have a negative impact on a worker’s overall abilities.


According to WHO, nearly 700 million of these people will require access to ear and hearing care and other rehabilitation services unless action is taken, the WHO said in its first World Report on Hearing released on March 3. The report outlines efforts to prevent and address hearing loss.


“The point is we know how to prevent this, or at least a lot of it,” WHO expert Shelly Chadha said.


“Untreated hearing loss can have a devastating impact on people’s ability to communicate, to study, and to earn a living,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.


The WHO estimates that 1.1 billion young people (aged 12-35 years) are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to noise in recreational settings. Strategic clinical screening can ensure that any loss of hearing and ear diseases can be identified as early as possible.


Once diagnosed, early intervention is key. Medical and surgical treatment can cure most ear diseases while hearing technology like hearing aids and cochlear implants are effective and cost-effective, according to the report. In children, almost 60 per cent of hearing loss can be prevented through immunisation against rubella and meningitis, improved maternal and neonatal care, and screening for inflammatory diseases of the middle ear. In adults, noise control, safe listening, and good ear hygiene can help maintain good hearing and reduce the potential for hearing loss.


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