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The world is getting louder, and it’s not doing our hearing any favours. What you need to know about hearing loss
Listening to MP3 players for hours on end can raise your risk for hearing loss
According to Statistics Canada, more than one million Canadians suffer from hearing problems – and it’s not just older demographics. Hearing loss can be attributed to natural disease and aging, but also to external factors, which means hearing damage can be preventable.
Noise-induced hearing loss is on the rise and the damage is often permanent. The extent of this type of hearing damage depends on the intensity of the noise and the length of exposure. Its effects could be a temporary ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus, but will lead to permanent damage if prolonged, repeated exposure is sustained.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed an increase in hearing loss to 19.5% from 15% between the mid-1980s to 2006.
While no solid correlations were drawn, it’s easy to speculate as to the causes, says Dr. Victoria Lee, a Doctor of Audiology (Au. D.) at the Auditory Outreach Program with the Provincial Resource Centre in BC.
“Due to a much longer battery life and an almost endless supply of songs that can be played on MP3 players (compared to Walkmans of the past), consumers are able to listen to music for much more extended periods of time, and this can raise the risk for hearing loss. Also, most ear buds don’t block out background noise, so users tend to increase the volume whenever they’re in noisy environments… and the physical intensity of the sound can be sufficient to cause hearing loss.”
Because there are several different types of hearing loss, it’s important to get tested at a qualified hearing centre as soon as symptoms appear.
Dr. Victoria Lee, an audiologist with the Auditory Outreach Program with the Provincial Resource Centre in BC, says, “everyone, regardless of age, should have their hearing tested to obtain a baseline from which they can compare their hearing in the future.”
Sensorineural Hearing Problems
Conductive Hearing Problems
Mixed Hearing Problems
According to the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists (CASLPA), noise-induced hearing loss is 99% preventable if proper hearing protection is used.
There are three main types of ear protectors:
“Personally,” Dr. Lee advises, “for mowing the lawn or vacuuming, I prefer earmuffs. When blow drying my hair, I wear earplugs – I’ve seen many hair stylists with hearing loss. I always take along custom hearing protectors wherever I go, especially on airplane rides.”
Left untreated, hearing loss can have detrimental effects, including speech and language impairments, employment challenges and reduced household income.
There are a variety of solutions that can help assist someone who is hard of hearing: