CHENNAI: In our daily lives, we are exposed to a lot of noise pollution. We expose ourselves to loud sounds when we travel to and from our work, college or school, during our free time when we listen to music or watch our favourite movie or series or while attending a celebration or function with our family and friends.
The levels of loud sounds we are constantly exposed to can cause permanent damage to the delicate structures in our inner ear leading to permanent hearing loss.
These small levels of permanent damage accumulate over time resulting in significant hearing loss resulting in needing hearing aids at a young age.
The government of India has recently released an advisory suggesting that we restrict our sound exposure to 50dB and not more than 2 hours at a time.
Our children are addicted to devices these days. The videos they watch and games they play tend to be filled with loud sounds like explosions and gunshots. They tend not to focus on the volume of the device they are using. It becomes our responsibility to restrict their screen time to less than 2 hours a day to protect their delicate ears.
It is our responsibility to spread awareness among our family and friends before it is too late.
Finally, for those of you who feel your hearing might have been affected, your hearing can be easily assessed by a simple test called a Puretone Audiogram. Knowing your level of hearing will guide you in taking steps to protect your hearing for the future. Remember that hearing loss prevention is less about hearing and more about understanding.