- By 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people are expected to be living with some degree of hearing loss.
- There are currently 430 million people worldwide who require rehabilitation services.
- Identifying the first warning signs is key to seeing a specialist as soon as possible.
Hearing loss is one of the most common problems in the elderly. As the years go by, it is one of the senses with the greatest wear and tear and its impact is related to quality of life. Although the truth is that it is an adversity that can happen at any time in an untimely way.
The sense of hearing is a key factor in our functioning in life, and its loss, unless it is attended to in an adequate and timely manner, affects the entire society, warns Dr. Gonzalo Corvera Behar, Director of the Mexican Institute of Otology and Neurotology SC (IMON).
According to the report published in 2021 by the World Health Organization (WHO) it is estimated that by 2050 almost 2,500 million people will live with some degree of hearing lossof which at least 700 million will need rehabilitation services.
Inaction will have costs to the health and well-being of those affected, and will also cause economic losses resulting from the exclusion of those people from communication, education and employment. Also, 430 million people worldwide require rehabilitation services.
Main causes of hearing loss
The factors that affect hearing capacity are diverse. They range from birth-related adverse events and ear infections to viral infections, noise exposure, ototoxic medications and lifestyle choices. Many of them can be prevented throughout life with good ear hygiene, avoiding loud sounds and adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Early signs to watch for
It is important to see a specialist when there are signs of hearing loss as in the following cases:
- You have difficulty understanding conversations, especially in environments with background noise. It is important to note that the person who is losing hearing does not feel that he listens less, he feels that it is more difficult for him to understand what others speak.
- Understand one thing for another. Due to the above, words tend to be confused, and since nobody likes to be asking for things to be repeated, they interpret what they think was said.
- Your family complains that you turn up the TV or other devices too much. This is often noticed by people around you before hearing loss is felt.
- You are participating less than before in conversations. As understanding of language becomes more difficult, especially in social settings that tend to be noisier, people with hearing loss tend to withdraw from social interaction.
- You perceive noises in your ears that are not produced by something external. This is called tinnitus in Spanish, more often known as tinnitus because it is the term used in English, and although not always, it is often one of the first signs of hearing loss.
Early detection and a good diagnosis: The first step to follow
The impact of hearing loss it is determined not only by its severity but also, to a large extent, by the effectiveness of the clinical or rehabilitative interventions adopted.
“A good and timely diagnosis is the key to preventing the hearing problem from escalating. Early detection is the first step. If not treated in time, hearing loss can affect multiple aspects of our lives such as communication, cognition, education, mental health and interpersonal relationships, in addition to the fact that in childhood it is essential for the development of language and speech”.
Forecast
According to this WHO study, demographic and population trends reflect the high and growing lifetime prevalence of hearing loss worldwide. The number of people may increase more than 1.5 times during the next three decades, and it is likely that more than 700 million people experience a moderate or high level in their ability to hear well.
Also read:
5 myths and realities of hearing loss that you should clarify in your patients
Summer otitis, a health problem that increases during the holidays
Childhood deafness: a growing health problem in Mexico