World Hearing Day 2024: A good hearing ability helps you to connect with people – listen, engage, observe while hearing loss may have an adverse impact on quality of life.
While we may not consciously pay attention to it and at times neglect it, but our hearing health is quite significant for our overall well being. A good hearing ability helps you to connect with people – listen, engage, observe while hearing loss may have an adverse impact on your quality of life, to the extent that it may affect one’s mental health. When you lose connection with people a loneliness envelops you making you anxious and prone to depression.
World Hearing Day is observed every year on March 3 to raise awareness on ways of preventing deafness and hearing loss and promoting ear and hearing care across the world. WHO hosts an annual World Hearing Day event at its headquarters in Geneva. The World Hearing Day 2024 with the theme “To hear for life, listen with care” will focus on the importance and means of hearing loss prevention through safe listening. On World Hearing Day 2024, WHO will focus on the importance of safe listening as a means of maintaining good hearing across the life course.
“It is possible to have good hearing across the life course through ear and hearing care. Many common causes of hearing loss can be prevented, including hearing loss caused by exposure to loud sounds ‘Safe listening’ can mitigate the risk of hearing loss associated with recreational sound exposure,” according to WHO.
Tips to Prevent Hearing Loss
- Take frequent breaks from loud noise
- If your job or surrounding makes it difficult for you to avoid loud noises, frequent breaks can help provide some relief to your ear.
- Do not be around loudspeakers as loud sound is harsh on your ears and can damage eardrums.
- Opt for foam earplugs. They need to be sanitized every day to prevent bacterial infection or earmuffs that may help dampen the noise and are economical and easy to use. If you are required to yell to hear over the television, radio, or streaming device, then turn down the volume.
- Do not use earbuds or bobby pins to clean the ears as it can harm the ear.
- Exercising on a daily basis can do the trick. Regular exercising keeps the blood flowing to the entire body, including the ears. Good circulation can help maintain good oxygen levels and the internal parts of the ears healthy.
- You need to give enough time to the ears to recover after being exposed to loud sound.
- If someone is bursting loud crackers outside then consider wearing earplugs.
- Do not leave any ear infections unattended. Neglecting ear problems can result in hearing loss. Be attentive when it comes to your health.
- Maintain the volume within the limit.
Dr. Sheetal Radia,
Consultant Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Oncosurgery,
Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road
