Ear Care: What Are The Risk Factors Of Hearing Impairment
The ears are one of the most important and neglected senses in the human body. But due to unhealthy practices, such as wearing headphones at maximum volume and playing loud music, many people have experienced hearing impairment at an early age, which could lead to complete hearing loss.
It is the reason why a hearing centre in Singapore reminds people to practise healthy listening habits, take a regular offline or online hearing test, and identify the risk factors.
Speaking of risk factors, here are the groups of people who are at risk of hearing impairment:
1. OLD PEOPLE
Difficulty in hearing is common in seniors. It is the reason older people often ask you to repeat yourself when speaking to them. Sometimes, they even increase the volume of their voices because they don’t hear themselves properly.
Presbycusis is age-related hearing loss caused by health conditions, medications, and the loss of sensory receptors in the inner ear due to degeneration.
2. PEOPLE WITH INHERITED HEARING IMPAIRMENT CONDITION
Hearing impairment and hearing loss can also be inherited. Inherited deafness usually begins in childhood up to adulthood. Genetic mutations that affect hearing directly are the primary cause of inherited deafness.
Other inherited conditions that do not directly affect hearing, such as retinitis pigmentosa and Patau syndrome, may trigger the onset of hearing impairment. People with these conditions buy a hearing aid in Singapore at a price to help them hear.
3. PEOPLE FREQUENTLY EXPOSED TO LOUD NOISES
Loud noises damage the receptor cells in the inner ear. What are the types of exposure to loud noises?
Long-term exposure –
People who habitually listen to loud music or noises are more prone to hearing impairment. Frequent concertgoers, musicians, and others.
Short-term exposure –
People who have been exposed to occasional loud blasts of noise are prone to hearing impairment. Gunshots and explosions near the ears are examples of short-term exposure.
Occupational noise –
People exposed to loud noise as part of their jobs, such as construction workers and factory workers.
4. PEOPLE WHO TAKE CERTAIN MEDICATIONS
Some medications have side effects that affect hearing. Among them are aminoglycoside antibiotics, aspirin, loop diuretics, sildenafil, and chemotherapy drugs.
Consulting a hearing centre in Singapore can help people on these medications manage and mitigate the side effects of these drugs on their hearing.
5. PEOPLE WITH EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS
Besides congenital disorders, some medical conditions may affect the ears. Among them are high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, brain injury, tumours, and bacterial and viral infections.
The link between hearing impairment and some diseases is unclear, but experts continue to study why these conditions and hearing impairment often exist together.
Do you belong to these groups of people? If yes, it is time to pay attention to your ear. Get regular offline and online hearing tests, and practise healthy listening habits. Remember to give care to your ear.
The Hearing Solution Group is a hearing centre in Singapore that provides management and treatment of hearing impairment. Visit The Hearing Solution Group for more information.