Cases of deafness on the rise, says expert

Says cases of tinnitus or ringing in ears are increasing

LAHORE: Cases of deafness are on the rise due to noise trauma caused by the excessive use of mobile phone and other devices by the youth and the children, said Services Hospital's ENT Department Head Dr Javaid Iqbal.

Talking to the APP on Sunday, he said excessive use of mobile phones, computers, and hand-free accessories to listen to the music at a tender age increases the chances of deafness at a later stage in life.

Replying to a question, he said the cases of tinnitus or ringing in the ears are increasing due to excessive use of headphones for recreational or academic purposes among the children and adults. He added that the use of headphones among children and adults should be discouraged.



Dr Iqbal said noise pollution in the urban cities was also a reason for an increase in health hazards. The humongous traffic, use of air pressure horns and loud music increased the chances of deafness, he added. "Administration of gentamycin to children also caused deafness as quacks and inefficient general practitioners (GPs) were unaware of the hazards of gentamycin", he said. Food adulteration was also a major cause of deafness as it affected the ears besides other body parts, he added.



Replying to another question, Dr Iqbal said traffic wardens and factory workers were more exposed to deafness in the later part of their lives. They should undergo a medical check-up annually, he advised. He was of the view that an awareness campaign on a large scale was needed for school children and the youth besides measures to control noise pollution and food adulteration.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17^th, 2018.