People living in areas like Asilmetta Junction, Jagadamba Junction and Dwaraka Nagar are at the risk of suffering hearing loss as noise levels routinely go beyond 125 decibels (dB) during peak traffic, according to a study done here some time ago.

Traffic constables and people working at roadside shops in these areas were found to have suffered hearing loss.

Prolonged usage of earphones, exposure to sources of high noise such as loudspeakers, and working in noise-generating industries without adequate ear protection also lead to hearing loss, said Bandaru Ramachandra Rao, associate professor at Government ENT Hospital.

“Chronic exposure to noise induces progressive deafness. A general increase in the number of cases of noise-induced deafness is seen both at the Outpatient wards of Government ENT Hospital as also at private hospitals. On the contrary, hearing problems due to hereditary causes are on the decline due to growing awareness on the health problems associated with marriages between close relations,” Dr. Ramachandra Rao told The Hindu.

Dr. Ramachandra Rao advocated awareness among schoolchildren on the dangers of using earphones for prolonged durations, and also called for curbs against excessive honking on roads which is a major contributor to high noise levels as well as stress and anxiety.

“The human ear has a self-cleansing mechanism and there is no need to use matchsticks or even ear-buds to clean the ears. In fact, there is a danger of the ear drum getting ruptured by doing so. Similarly, pouring oil or other liquids into the ear can aggravate ear infections,” he said.

“We are also seeing a rise in the number of call centre employees reporting problems like tinnitus (ringing sensation in the ears) and loss of hearing,” he said.

Timely intervention

“A child born with hearing loss is often misunderstood and has to face an unsympathetic attitude even from family members. A child with hearing loss cannot develop speech and language abilities. This hinders the growth of the child,” said Dr. K. Sai Balarama Krishna, HoD and consultant ENT surgeon of KIMS ICON Hospital.

“Screening of newborn children is important for early detection. Treatment can help restore hearing. The best age for cochlear implants is between two and five years of age,” he said.

An awareness rally was organised jointly by the Government ENT Hospital and North Andhra ENT Doctors Association on the occasion of World Hearing Day on Beach Road on Tuesday.

Pamphlets were distributed among the public and walkers on the need to take care of one’s ears to avoid hearing problems.