Post-Covid lifestyle changes spike hearing problems

Pandemic has led to a sharp rise in the number of people working online from home, leading to fears of hearing loss

KARACHI:

The number of people suffering from hearing problems worldwide is expected to reach 900 million by 2050 from 450 million in 2022, according to doctors.

Noise pollution is one of the reasons for the increase in the number of hearing-impaired people in developing countries, including Pakistan, earn, nose and throat (ENT) specialist said at a seminar organised by the Dow University of Sciences on March 3. The date is observed as World Hearing Day.

In this regard a seminar was held at the Dow International Medical College Ojha Campus and ENT ward of the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. Dr Salman Matiullah, Dr Salman Ahmed, Dr Murtaza Ahsan, Prof. Atif Hafeez Siddiqui and Prof. Osaf Ahmed addressed the seminar in OPD Block, Ojha Campus while Medical Superintendent of Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, Noor Muhammad Soomro, Principal, Dow Medical College, Saba Sohail, and Head of ENT ward Prof Zeba Ahmed addressed the gathering at ENT ward, CHK.

The global pandemic has led to a sharp rise in the number of people working online from home, leading to fears that people working online may be more likely to suffer from hearing loss, experts said. Online workers are advised to take ten minutes break every hour during work.

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They said that the use of hands-free and headphones etc. is more dangerous for hearing than loudspeakers because listening through loudspeakers.

While the attention may be diverted to another direction, the hands-free microphone keeps all the attention in one direction and there is constant pressure on the hearing .

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2022.