By Ng Jing Yng , TODAY | Posted: 12 November 2010 1115 hrs
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
i have this problem too. its most probably due to my itouch.