Be Careful of DIY Hearing Care

In its warning the BHI noted that hearing loss is sometimes the symptom of a serious underlying medical condition that the audiologist will pick up during your hearing evaluation. Hearing devices purchased over the counter or Internet without a consultation, may result in devices not accurately customised and may even damage your remaining hearing.

“Given that we have the technological know-how to prevent hearing loss, it should not be the case that so many young people continue to damage their hearing while listening to music,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “They must understand that once they lose their hearing, it won’t come back. This new WHO-ITU standard will do much to better safeguard these young consumers as they go about doing something they enjoy.”

Over 5% of the world’s population – or 466 million people – has disabling hearing loss (432 million adults and 34 million children); impacting on their quality of life. The majority live in low- and middle-income countries. It is estimated that by 2050 over 900 million people – or 1 in every 10 people – will have disabling hearing loss. Hearing loss which is not addressed poses an annual global cost of US$ 750 billion. Overall, it is suggested that half of all cases of hearing loss can be prevented through public health measures.

Features of safe listening devices

The Safe listening devices and systems: a WHO-ITU standard recommends that personal audio devices include:

• “Sound allowance” function: software that tracks the level and duration of the user’s exposure to sound as a percentage used of a reference exposure.
• Personalized profile: an individualized listening profile, based on the user’s listening practices, which informs the user of how safely (or not) he or she has been listening and gives cues for action based on this information.
• Volume limiting options: options to limit the volume, including automatic volume reduction and parental volume control.
• General information: information and guidance to users on safe listening practices, both through personal audio devices and for other leisure activities.

The standard was developed under WHO’s “Make Listening Safe” initiative which seeks to improve listening practices especially among young people, both when they are exposed to music and other sounds at noisy entertainment venues and as they listen to music through their personal audio devices. The WHO-ITU standard for safe listening devices was developed by experts from WHO and ITU over a two-year process drawing on the latest evidence and consultations with a range of stakeholders, including experts from government, industry, consumers and civil society.

Reference: https://www.who.int/news/item/12-02-2019-new-who-itu-standard-aims-to-prevent-hearing-loss-among-1.1-billion-young-people

If you feel like you are suffering from any form of hearing loss, feel free to contact Michaelides & Vermaas and let our Dynamic Team assist you!

“Aangesien ons die tegnologiese kennis het om gehoorverlies te voorkom, behoort dit nie die geval te wees dat so baie jong mense aanhou om hul gehoor te beskadig terwyl hulle na musiek luister nie,” sê dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WGO-direkteur-generaal. “Hulle moet verstaan ​​dat sodra hulle hul gehoor verloor, dit nie sal terugkom nie. Hierdie nuwe WHO-ITU-standaard sal baie doen om hierdie jong verbruikers beter te beskerm terwyl hulle iets doen wat hulle geniet.”

Meer as 5% van die wêreld se bevolking – of 466 miljoen mense – het gestremde gehoorverlies (432 miljoen volwassenes en 34 miljoen kinders); ‘n impak op hul lewenskwaliteit. Die meerderheid woon in lae- en middelinkomstelande. Daar word beraam dat teen 2050 meer as 900 miljoen mense – of 1 uit elke 10 mense – gestremde gehoorverlies sal hê. Gehoorverlies wat nie aangespreek word nie, hou ‘n jaarlikse globale koste van VS$750 miljard in. In die algemeen word voorgestel dat die helfte van alle gevalle van gehoorverlies deur openbare gesondheidsmaatreëls voorkom kan word.

Kenmerke van veilige luistertoestelle

Die veilige luistertoestelle en -stelsels: ‘n WHO-ITU-standaard beveel aan dat persoonlike oudiotoestelle die volgende insluit:

• “Klanktoelae”-funksie: sagteware wat die vlak en duur van die gebruiker se blootstelling aan klank naspoor as ‘n persentasie wat gebruik word van ‘n verwysingsblootstelling.
• Persoonlike profiel: ‘n geïndividualiseerde luisterprofiel, gebaseer op die gebruiker se luisterpraktyke, wat die gebruiker inlig oor hoe veilig (of nie) hy of sy geluister het en leidrade gee vir optrede gebaseer op hierdie inligting.
• Volumebeperkende opsies: opsies om die volume te beperk, insluitend outomatiese volumevermindering en ouerlike volumebeheer.
• Algemene inligting: inligting en leiding aan gebruikers oor veilige luisterpraktyke, beide deur persoonlike oudiotoestelle en vir ander ontspanningsaktiwiteite.

Die standaard is ontwikkel onder WGO se “Make Listening Safe”-inisiatief wat poog om luisterpraktyke veral onder jongmense te verbeter, beide wanneer hulle aan musiek en ander klanke by lawaaierige vermaaklikheidsplekke blootgestel word en as hulle na musiek luister deur hul persoonlike oudiotoestelle. Die WHO-ITU-standaard vir veilige luistertoestelle is ontwikkel deur kundiges van die WGO en ITU oor ‘n proses van twee jaar wat gebruik maak van die jongste bewyse en konsultasies met ‘n reeks belanghebbendes, insluitend kundiges van die regering, industrie, verbruikers en die burgerlike samelewing.

Verwysing: https://www.who.int/news/item/12-02-2019-new-who-itu-standard-aims-to-prevent-hearing-loss-among-1.1-billion-young-people

As jy voel jy ly aan enige vorm van gehoorverlies, kontak gerus vir Michaelides & Vermaas en laat ons Dinamiese Span jou bystaan!

‘Disabling’ hearing loss refers to hearing loss greater than 35 decibels (dB) in the better hearing ear. Nearly 80% of people with disabling hearing loss live in low- and middle-income countries. The prevalence of hearing loss increases with age, among those older than 60 years, over 25% are affected by disabling hearing loss. 

Hearing loss and deafness

A person who is not able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing – hearing thresholds of 20 dB or better in both ears – is said to have hearing loss. Hearing loss may be mild, moderate, severe, or profound. It can affect one ear or both ears, and leads to difficulty in hearing conversational speech or loud sounds.

‘Hard of hearing’ refers to people with hearing loss ranging from mild to severe. People who are hard of hearing usually communicate through spoken language and can benefit from hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other assistive devices as well as captioning.

‘Deaf’ people mostly have profound hearing loss, which implies very little or no hearing. They often use sign language for communication.

Causes of hearing loss and deafness

Although these factors can be encountered at different periods across the life span, individuals are most susceptible to their effects during critical periods in life.

Prenatal Period

• Genetic factors – Include hereditary and non-hereditary hearing loss
• Intrauterine infections – such as rubella and cytomegalovirus infection

Perinatal period

• Birth asphyxia (a lack of oxygen at the time of birth
• Hyperbilirubinemia (severe jaundice in the neonatal period)
• Low-birth weight 
• Other perinatal morbidities and their management 

Childhood and adolescence 

• Chronic ear infections (chronic suppurative otitis media)
• Collection of fluid in the ear (chronic nonsuppurative otitis media)
• Meningitis and other infections

Adulthood and older age 

• Chronic diseases
• Smoking
• Otosclerosis
• Age-related sensorineural degeneration
• Sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Factors across the life span 

• Cerumen impaction (impacted ear wax) 
• Trauma to the ear or head
• Loud noise/loud sounds
• Ototoxic medicines
• Work related ototoxic chemicals
• Nutritional deficiencies 
• Viral infections and other ear conditions
• Delayed onset or progressive genetic hearing loss

Reference: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss

If you feel like you are suffering from any form of hearing loss, feel free to contact Michaelides & Vermaas and let our Dynamic Team assist you!

‘Ontskakelende’ gehoorverlies verwys na gehoorverlies groter as 35 desibel (dB) in die beterhorende oor. Byna 80% van mense met gestremde gehoorverlies woon in lae- en middelinkomstelande. Die voorkoms van gehoorverlies neem toe met ouderdom, onder diegene ouer as 60 jaar word meer as 25% deur gestremde gehoorverlies geraak.

Gehoorverlies en doofheid

’n Persoon wat nie so goed kan hoor as iemand met normale gehoor nie – gehoordrempels van 20 dB of beter in albei ore – word na bewering gehoorverlies. Gehoorverlies kan lig, matig, ernstig of ernstig wees. Dit kan een oor of albei ore affekteer, en lei tot probleme om gespreksspraak of harde klanke te hoor.

‘Shorendhorend’ verwys na mense met gehoorverlies wat wissel van lig tot ernstig. Mense wat hardhorend is, kommunikeer gewoonlik deur middel van gesproke taal en kan baat vind by gehoorapparate, kogleêre inplantings en ander hulpmiddels sowel as onderskrifte.

‘Dowe’ mense het meestal ernstige gehoorverlies, wat baie min of geen gehoor impliseer nie. Hulle gebruik dikwels gebaretaal vir kommunikasie.

Oorsake van gehoorverlies en doofheid

Alhoewel hierdie faktore tydens verskillende tydperke oor die lewensduur teëgekom kan word, is individue die meeste vatbaar vir hul effekte gedurende kritieke tydperke in die lewe.

Voorgeboortelike tydperk

• Genetiese faktore – Sluit oorerflike en nie-oorerflike gehoorverlies in
• Intrauteriene infeksies – soos rubella- en sitomegalovirusinfeksie

Perinatale tydperk

• Geboorteversmoring (‘n gebrek aan suurstof ten tyde van geboorte
• Hiperbilirubinemie (ernstige geelsug in die neonatale periode)
• Lae geboortegewig
• Ander perinatale morbiditeite en die hantering daarvan

Kinderjare en adolessensie

• Chroniese oorinfeksies (chroniese suppuratiewe otitis media)
• Versameling van vloeistof in die oor (chroniese nie-suppuratiewe otitis media)
• Meningitis en ander infeksies

Volwassenheid en ouer ouderdom

• Chroniese siektes
• Rook
• Otosklerose
• Ouderdomsverwante sensorineurale degenerasie
• Skielike sensorineurale gehoorverlies

Faktore oor die lewensduur

• Serumen impaksie (aangeraakte oorwas)
• Trauma aan die oor of kop
• Harde geraas/harde klanke
• Ototoksiese medisyne
• Werkverwante ototoksiese chemikalieë
• Voedingstekorte
• Virale infeksies en ander oortoestande
• Vertraagde aanvang of progressiewe genetiese gehoorverlies

Verwysing: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss

As jy voel jy ly aan enige vorm van gehoorverlies, kontak gerus vir Michaelides & Vermaas en laat ons Dinamiese Span jou bystaan!

Navorsing het getoon dat:

• Slegs 1 uit 5 mense wat by ‘n gehoorapparaat sal baat, een gebruik.
• Mense met gehoorverlies kan tot 10 jaar wag voordat hulle iets daaraan doen.

Die rede hiervoor blyk die stigma te wees wat gehoorverlies inhou. Mense assosieer gehoorverlies met oudword of visualiseer dat hulle gehoorapparate moet dra wat hulle as lelik beskou.

Daar is baie mites oor gehoorverlies.

Dit is belangrik om oop te wees oor gehoorverlies en hoe dit mense se lewens kan beïnvloed, beide positief en negatief. Om die stigma van gehoorverlies af te breek, is daar 9 mites oor gehoorverlies wat jy moet ken .

• Jy sê vir jouself jy sal weet as jy gehoorverlies het.
• Jy sê vir jouself dit is nie die moeite werd om jou gehoor te verbeter nie.
• Jy oortuig jouself dat gehoorapparate nie ‘n verskil sal maak nie.
• Jy voel as jy gehoorgestremd is, moet jy net die volume verhoog.
• Jy besluit dat gehoorapparate nie vir jou sal werk nie.
• Jy sê vir jouself gehoorapparate is lelik.
• Jy voel gehoorapparate met laat jou oud lyk en voel.
• Jy sê vir jouself jy kan geld spaar deur net een gehoorapparaat te kry.
• Jy voel gehoorapparate is te duur.

As jy voel jy ly aan enige vorm van gehoorverlies, kontak gerus vir Michaelides & Vermaas en laat ons Dinamiese Span jou bystaan!

Research has shown that:

• Only 1 in 5 people who would benefit from a hearing aid actually use one.
• People with hearing loss may wait up to 10 years before they do something about it.

The reason for this seems to be the stigma that hearing loss carries. People associate hearing loss with getting old or visualize having to wear hearing aids which they perceive as ugly. 

There are a lot of myths regarding hearing loss.

It is important to be open about hearing loss and how it can affect people’s lives, both positively and negatively. In order to breakdown the stigma of hearing loss, there are 9 myths regarding hearing loss which you should know . 

• You tell yourself you would know if you had hearing loss.
• You tell yourself it is not worth the trouble to improve your hearing.
• You convince yourself that hearing aids wouldn’t make a difference.
• You feel if you are hearing impaired, you should just turn up the volume.
• You decide that hearing aids won’t work for you.
• You tell yourself hearing aids are ugly.
• You feel hearing aids with make you look and feel old.
• You tell yourself you can save money by just getting one hearing aid.
• You feel hearing aids are too expensive.

If you feel like you are suffering from any form of hearing loss, feel free to contact Michaelides & Vermaas and let our Dynamic Team assist you!