- According to the WHO, there are 430 million people globally with disabling hearing loss.
- In the case of Mexico, it is estimated that more than 50% of older adults cannot hear clearly.
- Although everyone is at risk, there are some diseases that primarily affect women and cause hearing loss.
In Mexico, more than 50 percent of the elderly suffer from disability or hearing loss according to the Ministry of Health (SSa). The causes that cause it can be congenital or acquired, that is, you can contract deafness at any stage of your life. Despite the above, there are certain diseases that mainly affect women and can have irreparable consequences on their quality of life.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) it is considered that a person has hearing loss when they are not able to hear as well as a person whose sense of hearing is normal. With this, your hearing threshold in both ears should be equal to or better than 20 dB.
He also mentions that the hearing loss can be mild, moderate, severe, or profound. In addition to the fact that it can affect one or both ears and cause difficulties in hearing a conversation or loud sounds.
Diseases (almost) exclusive to women that cause hearing loss
Within this list is the osteoporosis, considered one of the main silent conditions that exist. In accordance with Amgen Mexico It attacks one in three Mexican women over the age of 50. One of its consequences is an increase in the possibility of presenting sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
From the age of 35, the decrease in bone density begins in small amounts in the body and in women the decrease in certain hormones such as estrogen.
Other factors such as advanced age, the use of medications such as glucocorticoids and anticonvulsants, as well as smoking, alcohol intake or the presence of additional diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, increase the risk of osteoporosis in the postmenopausal stage. It is estimated that by 2050 more than 37 percent of the Mexican population will present this condition.
“Osteoporosis is a disease that progressively affects the bone mineral density (BMD) of the skeletal system, thus reducing the mass of the bones, making them more fragile and making them prone to fractures. In older adults, there are factors mainly of hormonal origin (associated with hormones such as leptin, estrogens, and prolactin, among others) that affect this bone metabolism of the skeleton, including the temporal bone, which is where the middle ear and ear are located. internal, and therefore they can also be affected”, explains Dr. Jimena Atuan, specialist in Audiology, Speech Therapy and Otoneurology at MED-EL.
The autoimmune hearing loss or Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (AIED) is also a complication derived from the hormonal changes suffered by women during pregnancy. It is characterized because it alters the immune system with repercussions on the cells found in the ear.
Due to the above it can cause progressive loss or vertigo. It occurs in the reproductive age of women, from 20 to 50 years old, progresses rapidly and in a matter of weeks or months, it can appear bilaterally.
For this reason, the specialist recommends being aware of any of the following behaviors. If a person has several, it could be an indication that he suffers from some of the diseases described.
- Sudden or rapidly progressive sensation of decreased hearing.
- Disadvantages to understand words.
- Muffle speech or other sounds.
- Problems identifying consonants.
- Frequently request that the sentences be repeated.
- Ask them to speak slower, clearer, or at a higher volume.
- Increase the volume to listen to television or radio.
- Isolate.
This year, WHO will focus on issuing messages on the ear related problemsbecause they are one of the most common that the community faces and that more than 60 percent of them can be addressed at the primary care level.
It will be through the Ear and hearing care training manual in primary care for health workers and general practitioners issued by the WHO that those responsible in this matter will be instructed in order to help countries move towards the goal of universal health coverage.
Also read:
5 Signs of Early Hearing Loss You Shouldn’t Ignore
Hearing loss multiplies the risk of developing dementia
This is the most common hearing impairment worldwide