A sound advice on hearing loss

Hearing allows one to be involved with the world around him. However, exposure to sounds more than the human ear can endure could be more than annoying. It does not only reduce one’s hearing ability but also leads to lesser quality of life, communication difficulties, and even cardiovascular problems like hypertension and ischaemic heart disease.

Normally, an adult’s ear can tolerate an occasional noise level of up to 80 decibels. However, one who is constantly exposed to noise levels greater than 85 to 90 decibels has an increased likelihood of suffering from damaged inner ear structures which may lead to irreversible and permanent hearing loss.

Though rarely painful, hearing impairment usually causes symptoms such as a feeling of pressure or fullness in the ears, speech that seems muffled or far away, and a ringing sound in the ears.

Anyone is at risk, but people working in many industries like agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing and utilities, transportation and the military have increased likelihood since they are constantly exposed to dangerous noise levels.

Serious conditions can be detected by undergoing hearing tests such as audiometry. During this test, the person being tested wears a set of headphones to block out other distracting sounds.

A test tone is delivered to one ear at a time and the patient holds up a hand or a finger to indicate that the sound is detected. The audiologist lowers the volume and repeats the sound until the patient can no longer detect it. This process is repeated over a wide range of tones or frequencies and each ear is tested separately.

Healthway Medical Clinics, the country’s most extensive chain of outpatient medical centers, offers extensive audiometry tests at cost-effective rates to help people assess their risks for hearing damage so they can immediately limit their exposure to harmfully loud noises.

Visit Healthway Medical Clinics at Ayala Avenue, Greenbelt, Binondo, SM City, Alabang Town Center, Festival Mall and at the Laguna Technopark; call Noreen Arellano at 892-3732, 814-0679 or 814-0691.