Trauma care centre in Mumbai gets new facility for hearing loss patients

The HBT Trauma Care Municipal Hospital in Jogeshwari has started a new speech and audiometry test centre to aid patients with hearing loss, especially elderly patients. This is the first municipal peripheral hospital in the city to get the facility.

The centre will help determine the degree of the patient’s hearing loss so they can be treated accordingly. A tune at different frequencies will be played into the patient’s ear to determine the extent of hearing loss. “On an average, we have 15 patients daily who complain of hearing loss,” said Dr Mayashankar Vishwakarma, consultant at the ear, nose and throat (ENT) department at the trauma care centre.

The centre will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm. The test, which costs around ₹700 at private facilities, will be provided free of cost at the hospital. “We will see seven patients a day on an appointment basis,” said a doctor from the hospital.

According to doctors, increase in environmental pollution and exposure to loud sounds are common causes of hearing loss among youngsters. “Chronic exposure to regular loud noise in cities such as Mumbai causes injury to cochlea, the inner ear,” said Dr Ajay Doiphode, honorary head of unit, ENT, Jogeshawati Trauma centre.

Other causes of hearing loss include ear diseases, drum ruptures, old age and exposure to loud sounds such as crackers, said doctors.

First Published: Jan 12, 2019 00:53 IST