‘Disabling’ hearing loss is a growing problem worldwide; how to protect your hearing – experts’ tips include not playing music too loud

You can’t hear the television? You didn’t catch what friends were saying and are constantly asking them to repeat themselves? You’re not alone if you feel your hearing isn’t what it once was. In Hong Kong, about 2.2 per cent of the population in 2015, or 155,200 people, had some form of hearing impairment. Globally, more than 430 million people – over 5 per cent of the population – need rehabilitation for “disabling” hearing loss, according to a 2021 World Health Organization report. By 2050, the WHO estimates that over 700 million people – one person in 10 – may require access to ear and hearing care and other rehabilitation services. It’s a worrying trend. Studies link hearing loss to a plethora of difficulties. Among the most serious are impaired communication and a decreased quality of life. People with hearing loss may isolate themselves – leading to complications like loneliness and depression. It can also lead to physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches and chronic tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Why hearing loss can cause dementia and what you can do about it A new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US state of Maryland found that older adults with more severe hearing loss were more likely to have dementia. The likelihood of dementia was lower among hearing aid users compared to non-users, though. Many of us associate hearing loss with growing older – it does affect two-thirds of Americans over 70. But it may develop at any time during our lives – and there are ways to avoid it. The onset may be sudden or gradual, and one or both ears can be affected, says Dr Jacky Wong Ka-fai, a specialist in otorhinolaryngology – ear, nose and throat diseases – at Heal Medical, in Hong Kong’s Central district, speaking ahead of World Hearing Day on March 3. The most common risk factors in adulthood include old age, excessive noise exposure, and prescription medications that can have side effects related to hearing loss, Wong notes. Sensorineural hearing loss, the most common type, is a progressive disorder and the change can be permanent, adds Dr Monica Xu, a naturopathic doctor at Integrated Medicine Institute in Hong Kong. It results from damage to the inner ear, more specifically to the cochlear hair cells that are responsible for conducting sound to the inner ear, and the cochlea – a small bone in the inner ear that transmits vibration signals from the inner ear to the brain. We’re born with a fixed number of hair cells (about 16,000) and they do not regenerate. People with ongoing exposure to loud noises, including factory and construction workers, and musicians, are most at risk for this type of hearing loss. But it can happen to anyone – even those who live near factories or construction sites, or who listen to loud music at live concerts or through headsets. Xu suggests choosing headphones that go over your ears rather than earbuds that are inserted in the ears; reducing the volume when wearing headphones; minimising your exposure to noise and noisy environments; using earplugs when you cannot avoid loud sounds; and taking a five-minute break every 30 minutes when using headphones. Environmental toxins, including cigarette smoke, can also cause hearing damage. Many studies have linked smoking to acquired hearing loss; it may damage the outer hair cells of the cochlea, and toxins found in cigarette smoke – including toluene, benzene and carbon monoxide – have been associated with hearing loss. A review of eight studies in Preventive Medicine concluded the evidence was suggestive of a positive association between smoking and hearing loss and that “smoking cessation may be a useful strategy for maintaining hearing acuity”. To safeguard hearing, it’s also important to prevent, manage or reverse chronic health conditions. Diseases such as poorly controlled diabetes, unmanaged hypertension, and high cholesterol may contribute to hearing loss. Ear hygiene is relatively easy. “Our ears are self-cleaning, so earwax and any skin that has flaked off in the ear canals end up migrating outwards and being expelled via the canal openings. There is therefore no need to use additional tools to clean your ears. And if water gets into your ear canals, it will eventually evaporate,” says Wong. Cleaning the inside of your ears with a cotton bud may do more harm than good, he adds. The cotton bud may push the earwax and dead skin cells deeper into your ear canal, causing them to build up and become impacted. It could also impinge on the delicate skin inside the ear canal, resulting in an infection or bleeding; worse, it may damage your eardrum if pushed too far into the ear canal. Have earache? Eat raw garlic, pour in some oil – Ayurvedic remedies Earwax is not a sign of poor ear hygiene, Xu says. This natural oily secretion prevents the inner ear from becoming too dry. It also prevents infections, and traps dirt and dust before they travel too far down the ear canal. A build-up of earwax can be problematic, though. Xu says that this is common in elderly people and can be resolved with irrigation – by a professional – or eardrops. Ear candling is touted as a means to help clear out excess earwax, but Xu says that the treatment is unscientific and may cause serious injury to your ears. Preventing ear infections is key to protecting your hearing and keeping your ears healthy. Acute otitis media is a common ear infection, especially in children. It occurs when the middle ear – the area behind the eardrum – becomes inflamed and infected, usually because of allergies, a cold, flu or a sinus infection. Adopting good personal hygiene habits to prevent an upper respiratory tract infection can help prevent this. Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.