World Hearing Day – 3rd March 2023

Mumbai – World Hearing Day is held on 3 March each year to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world. Hearing loss is a common problem caused by loud noise, aging, disease, and genetic variations. About one-third of older adults have hearing loss, and the chance of developing hearing loss increases with age. In India Loud noise is one of the most common causes of hearing loss. Noise loud music can damage the inner ear and result in permanent hearing loss. Loud noise also contributes to tinnitus. You can prevent most noise-related hearing loss by turning down the sound on your devices, moving away from loud noise, or using earplugs or other ear protection. On this occasion Dr. Binhi Desai, ENT and Voice surgeon from Apex Group of Hospital, Borivali says, “Hearing loss is the most common sensory deficit in humans today. As per WHO estimates in India, there are approximately 63 million people, who are suffering from Significant Auditory Impairment; this places the estimated prevalence at 6.3% in the Indian population. As per NSSO (National Sample Survey office ,2001), currently there are 291 persons per one lakh population who are suffering from severe to profound hearing loss. Of these, a large percentage is children between the ages of 0 to 14 years. With such a large number of hearing impaired young Indians, it amounts to a severe loss of productivity, both physical and economic. An even larger percentage of our population suffers from milder degrees of hearing loss and unilateral (one sided) hearing loss. Hearing loss can be of three types – sensorineural, conductive and mixed. Early diagnosis and intervention is paramount to proper treatment of hearing loss. Today, we have all world- class latest and best technologies to diagnose hearing loss, identify the cause and treat it effectively.“

Conductive hearing loss mostly requires surgery. Today, we have world- best surgical tools to treat our patients. Sensorineural hearing loss mostly requires hearing aids or cochlear implant surgery. In Apex superspeciality Hospital, Borivali we have world’s best hearing aids and cochlear implants available for all our patients added by Dr. Binhi Desai a practicing ENT and Voice surgeon from Apex Group of Hospital.

Over one billion teenagers and young people are potentially at risk of hearing loss  due to their use of headphones and earbuds, and attendance at loud music venues, according to a study published in the journal BMJ Global Health. The researchers also estimated the number of people who could be at risk of hearing loss by considering the estimated global population of 12-34 year-olds in 2022 (2.8 billion) and the best estimates of exposure to unsafe listening practices from PLDs or loud entertainment venues.The research indicates that the prevalence of unsafe listening practices from PLD use and attendance at loud entertainment venues is common worldwide — 24 per cent and 48 per cent, respectively, among teens and young people.