About 135 million people across Africa suffer from ear problems, with approximately 10 million individuals in Nigeria experiencing disabling hearing loss, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report.
Confirming this development in Lagos, an audiologist, Dr. Barnabas Vangerwua, who is also a member of WHO World Hearing Forum, noted that ‘Nigerians, daily, are being exposed to many things that are detrimental to their hearing, some of which include excessive noise, certain medical conditions, ageing and genetic factors’.
With offices in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Calabar, and also representing some of the most renowned audiotech companies in the world, Nigerbell is the nation’s leading audiology diagnostic and
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Hearing loss is an impairment of the ear’s ability to process sound. It can range from mild (missing soft
sounds) to profound (complete deafness) often caused by so many factors.
Continuing, Vangerwua, who is also the Medical Director of NigerBell Speech and Hearing Centre, asserted that ‘while some types of hearing loss can be prevented by protecting our ears from loud noises using earplugs or earmuffs, reducing the volume on personal audio devices, and getting regular hearing tests, age-related hearing loss may be unavoidable.
However, noise-induced hearing loss is largely preventable with consistent ear protection.
He listed the following as the some of the major causes of hearing loss: Age-related hearing loss (a natural part of ageing where the inner ear’s ability to process sound declines); Noise-induced hearing loss (caused by prolonged or sudden exposure to loud sounds from sources like concerts, power tools, or loud machinery); Medical conditions (certain health problems like diabetes, heart disease, and some viral or bacterial infections can lead to hearing loss); Medication side effects (some drugs, including certain antibiotics and high doses of aspirin, can damage hearing); plus other factors like head injuries, genetic factors, and tumours can also affect hearing.
According to Vangerwua, the cheering news is that all hope is not lost. He said: ‘You must protect your ears from loud noise by avoiding or limiting time spent in noisy environments; use of earplugs or earmuffs in noisy situations such as concerts, using power tools, or operating a lawnmower; turning down the volume on personal music players, televisions, and other devices; when wearing headphones or earbuds ensure you can still hear conversations around you and take breaks after an hour of continuous listening; practicing safe listening habits by moving away from loudspeaker sources of noise’.
He cautioned against inserting objects like cotton swabs into your ears and advised that the ears must be kept dry to prevent infections that could lead to hearing damage.
He recommended monitoring hearing by getting hearing tested regularly, especially if you work in a noisy environment or are concerned about your hearing and consulting a doctor immediately for any ear problems or sudden hearing changes, while maintaining overall health and keeping chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure under control, as they can impact hearing.
