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 Hearing-impaired children undergoing a music therapy session. More younger people, especially men, are being affected by hearing loss. TODAY file photo. |
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SINGAPORE - Being hard of hearing is no longer only an affliction of the elderly. More younger people, particularly men, are also being affected by the problem these days.
Statistics from the Changi General Hospital (CGH) show that 40 per cent of those diagnosed with hearing loss are younger than 40 years old.
This figure is a two-fold jump from what CGH was seeing five to eight years ago.
Dr Yuen Heng Wai, a consultant otolaryngologist at CGH, explaining this trend, said males - more so than females - are more frequently exposed to noise such as that at night outlets and from audio devices.
Acknowledging that higher awareness of the issue could contribute to the figures, Dr Yuen is, however, more concerned about getting youth to seek treatment.
"To them it is a big blow ... as hearing loss has always been associated with old age ... they feel they have become less complete (and stigmatised)," said Dr Yuen.
To make matters worse, these hearing-impaired youths are resisting the use of hearing aids.
At Raffles Hospital, one to two young men - between the ages of 15 and 30 - are seen every week for the treatment of hearing difficulties.
The hospital's specialist in ENT surgery, Dr Stephen Lee, noted that "there has been a perceptible increase" over the past two years. He recommends that those who use audio devices go for a test at least once to check if their hearing ability has been affected.
Engaging in water sports is another emerging cause.
Bacteria in dirty water stays in the ear and causes discomfort, said Dr Yuen of CGH. When patients try to ease the discomfort by "sticking all sorts of things" into their ears, the situation worsens.
In the past year alone, he has seen more than 10 patients who have experienced hearing problems after swimming in places like the Kallang River and the sea off Batam Island.
There is also the need for regulation of working conditions in sectors such as the construction industry, suggested Dr Raymond Ngo, consultant at the National University Hospital's Department of Otolaryngology. He cited his concern over young construction workers and their constant exposure to excessive levels of loud noise.
But, fortunately, only a few of the afflicted have suffered total irreversible hearing loss as most recover partial or full hearing capacity after treatment.
One safety guideline for those who could suffer impaired hearing would be to seek treatment if they experience difficulty in understanding what others are saying or having to ask them to repeat themselves, said Associate Professor Low Wong Kein, director of the Centre for Hearing and Ear Implants at Singapore General Hospital.
- TODAY/rl
- wong chee tat :)
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