Listen Up: Recognizing the Signs of Hearing Loss

Written by:Haashni Venkateshkumar(1.2), Kayla Tan (2.8) Designed by: Pooja PAlanikumar(1.8),AMeya Anjali Vipin(1.8), Adele Wang (3.6)

What is hearing loss?

Did you know that nearly 1 billion young adults are at risk of hearing loss?

Hearing loss happens when there is damage to any part of the ear. Listening to loud noises for a long period of time or a one-off incident, is especially damaging to the inner ear (cochlea). In this article, we will be touching on this topic and busting some myths regarding hearing loss.

Hearing loss occurs when we are affected by loud noises, ageing, disease and genes. It can be mild, moderate, moderately severe or severe in one or both ears. The World Health Organisation has estimated that the cost of improving hearing loss costs US$ 980 billion worldwide, not including the cost of hearing devices. .

How many types of hearing loss are there?

There are 3 common types of hearing loss: Conductive hearing loss, which involves the outer or middle ear. This can be caused by the build-up of earwax and fluid, damage to the ear-drum, or a birth defect that prevents sound waves from entering your ear. Sensorineural hearing loss, which involves the inner ear, is caused by long exposure to loud noises, meningitis,or heredity. Mixed Hearing loss, which is a mix of the two above mentioned, can lead to more severe hearing loss.

How do we lose our hearing?

Hearing loss can be caused by many reasons like damage to the inner ear, too much earwax, ear infections, unusual bone growth or tumours, ruptured (blown) eardrum, aging, loud noises or it could be heredity. Some symptoms of hearing loss are speech and sounds being muffled, having trouble understanding words and asking people to speak more slowly, clearly and loudly or the need to increase the volume of the television or radio and when there is ringing in the ears (tinnitus). Hearing loss continues to advance if it is not treated properly. After a long period of time of untreated regression to the ears, your hearing may be permanently damaged.

There are many misconceptions when it comes to hearing loss. Let’s debunk some of the most common myths about this issue:

Myth 1: Hearing loss only affects those who are older

As a matter of fact, teenagers and children are also at risk of having hearing loss. The Centre of Disease Control has shown that an estimated 12.5% of children and adolescents aged 6–19 years have suffered from hearing loss.This is caused by playing loud and damaging music on mobile devices and exposure to noisy entertainment like nightclubs and bars

Myth 2: Hearing loss is inevitable, especially with age

Hearing loss is not unavoidable! Studies have shown that it can be controlled by reducing the volume of music and ensuring that it is at a safe level. Make sure that the noise level of music that you are listening to on your mobile devices does not exceed the recommended volume.

Myth 3: You would know if you had hearing loss

Hearing loss is often a gradual development that you may not notice at first. Even if there are symptoms, we would just convince ourselves that nothing is wrong and that “perhaps the speaker is just too soft.”

Myth 4: Hearing loss will not affect anything else

Hearing loss can actually lead to several other related issues. When one realises that he or she may be suffering from hearing loss, they might feel frustrated at first, for not being able to listen as effectively as others. One might feel like an outcast when wearing hearing-aids in school because one is embarrassed and afraid of being stereotyped. Families and friends will also have to adjust to the circumstances, having to be more patient, supportive and encouraging when he or she feels disappointed with themselves. Hearing loss also appears to be a risk factor for cognitive impairment, thus sometimes leading to short-term memory loss, which will result in a lower quality performance at your school or in work areas.

Myth 5: Everyone with hearing loss uses sign language or reads lips

There are different types of hearing loss, from mild to completely deaf, thus not all people with hearing loss will communicate in the same way. The way people with hearing loss communicate depends on various factors such as the degree of hearing loss, whether one is wearing a hearing aid or cochlear implant, the age of the person suffering from hearing loss and the amount of rehabilitation received. Therefore, it is insensitive to assume the same for everyone with hearing loss.

Myth 6: Turning up the volume of the device's speaker will help with my hearing loss

If you cannot hear something on your devices clearly even with the volume at an all-time high, increasing the volume will not make a difference! In fact, it is also not a sustainable practice and may actually worsen hearing loss.

Credits:

Janice Schacter, December 24 2020, 17 Misconceptions About People with Hearing Loss https://hearinghealthfoundation org/blogs/17-misconceptions-people-with-hearing-loss Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research , March 30, 2023, hearing loss https://www mayoclinic org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20373072

Joy Victor, December 14 2022,Hearing loss statistics at a glance https://www healthyhearing com/report/52814-Hearing-loss-statistics-at-aglance#:~:text=Stats%20on%20hearing%20loss%20in%20children&text=15%25%20of%20scho ol%2Dage%20children,noise%2C%20according%20to%20the%20CDC