Listening to music or a podcast can be your favorite form of self-care. However, this may not be the best course of action for your hearing!
According to recent analyzes and studies, high noise levels may affect hearing loss in the future. Children, adolescents, and adults (young adults) may be particularly at risk if they frequently listen to many hours of music per day in volumes exceeding the public health limit of 70 decibels (dB) of average daily noise exposure, which recommended by the US National Institutes of Health.
The World Health Organization estimates that about 50% of people between the ages of 12 and 35 are at risk of hearing loss due to prolonged and excessive exposure to loud sounds, such as music heard through personal audio equipment.
"I think on a broader level, the medical and audiological communities, as well as the general public, do not realize that significant hearing loss is not part of normal healthy aging, but mainly represents noise-induced hearing loss. ", says for Healthline dr. Daniel Fink.
He compares this misconception with the misconception that deep wrinkles and skin pigmentation are part of normal aging, as they mostly represent damage from the sun’s UV rays.
"Similarly, without exposure to loud noise, we should be able to hear well into old age, something that is usually not true in industrialized societies," adds Fink.
Especially for young people the use of a personal audio system (headphones) is the main source of noise exposure during leisure time. When they reach mid-life, perhaps in their early or mid-40s, they will find it just as difficult to hear as their grandparents who are now 70 or 80.
In addition to the loss of the ability to communicate, hearing loss is also associated with dementia. According to a 2011 study, compared to people without hearing loss, those with hearing loss were at risk for developing dementia in the following ways:
- Njerëzit me humbje të lehtë të dëgjimit kishin gati dyfish rrezikun e zhvillimit të demencës.
- Ata me humbje të moderuar kishin tre herë rrezik.
- Njerëzit me humbje të rëndë kishin pesë herë rrezik.
Ndërkohë, disa studime premtuese tregojnë se trajtimi i humbjes së dëgjimit me aparate dëgjimi zvogëlon rrezikun e rënies njohëse dhe demencës. Sidoqoftë, fillimi i zakoneve më të mira të shëndetit të dëgjimit tani mund të jetë një investim në shëndetin tuaj afatgjatë, jo vetëm duke parandaluar humbjen e dëgjimit, por gjithashtu duke zvogëluar rrezikun tuaj të rënies njohëse dhe demencës ndërsa plakeni.
Kontrolloni rregullisht dëgjimin tuaj
If you are over the age of 50 or are exposed to noise at unsafe levels, doctors recommend that you have a daily checkup. If you are at another age, but still think you have problems - check your hearing with a doctor immediately.
Source: HealthLine
