Protect your ears, it's festival season!
What are the first signs?
The first signs of hearing loss are usually noticed not by the patient themselves, but by family members and colleagues. People with hearing loss regularly ask people to repeat themselves, turn up the volume on the TV and radio, and cannot hear the doorbell or family members and colleagues who speak more quietly. In many cases, they can still hear words clearly, but their ability to understand speech is reduced. Patients typically begin to realise that their hearing has deteriorated when they are exposed to background noise for long periods.
Who is most at risk?
Infants and children's hearing is the most vulnerable, and we must pay special attention to elderly people with gradually deteriorating hearing. Since hereditary hearing loss exists, those who have a family history of such complaints or who have been deaf in one ear since birth or due to illness should also be vigilant. Interestingly, men surpass women in terms of hearing loss, with more of them affected.
However, those who work in noisy workplaces are at the greatest risk. These include road builders, airport staff, loggers, motorcycle couriers, factory workers, rock musicians, and nightclub workers, especially DJs and drummers. This also includes occupations where we would not even think about how much noise exposure we have to endure daily. Such jobs include nursery school teachers, hairdressers who use loud, buzzing hair dryers regularly, and workers in large open-plan offices.
In many workplaces where it would be justified, the use of noise-cancelling headphones is still not mandatory. To make matters worse, even if protective equipment is provided in accordance with the rules, it is not used because it is slightly uncomfortable, hot, or the workers consider it pointless. However, it is important to realise that without protection, we can very quickly lose our hearing.
Is some damage reversible?
In the case of conductive hearing loss, the external ear canal may be blocked, for example, by earwax, or the eardrum may be perforated or damaged. It can also be caused by enlarged adenoids or middle ear inflammation, when an obstruction forms in the area of the ossicles, temporarily blocking sound conduction. These problems can be corrected with careful, professional medical intervention.
There is also sudden hearing loss, in which case, urgent medical intervention within 24-48 hours can be successful, but beyond that, the chances of recovery become uncertain. Acute hearing loss can even be caused by a stroke, so it is important to see a doctor immediately if you experience these symptoms.
What can we do to protect our ears?
This is a very valid question at the start of the festival season. We should refrain from prolonged use of headphones and earphones, as well as attending loud concerts. When listening to music, it is advisable to use semi-closed headphones or headphones with some form of noise reduction or noise isolation, and at concerts, we should not stand too close to the speakers. Loud music can cause irreversible damage to the hair cells in the inner ear, resulting in persistent tinnitus that is difficult to treat.
We need to pay special attention to children, as their hearing is the most vulnerable. Parents often unintentionally expose them to loud noise, which can result in permanent hearing damage even at a young age. Of course, it is not necessary to filter out every little noise, but children should be gradually accustomed to using hearing protection, earplugs, or headphones. There are modern devices available that do not hinder children in any activity, are comfortable to wear, and come in friendly colours and shapes. Remember that headphones are personal items and should only be used by one person! After an ear infection, it is safest to replace the old device.
Make an appointment for our ear, nose, and throat specialist examinations by phone at +36 1 790 7070 or online!