Awareness Is Important To Deal With Hearing Issues
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.5 billion individuals worldwide suffer from hearing loss to some extent. By 2050, this figure is expected to increase to 2.5 billion, according to experts. Approximately 34 million children worldwide suffer from severe hearing loss, and 60% of these instances may have been avoided with appropriate education.
The International Week of Deaf People was observed from September 22 to 28 in an effort to increase public awareness of hearing-related difficulties and disabilities. Deaf Awareness Week 2025 had the theme of “No Human Rights without Sign Language Rights”.
The Association of Otolaryngologists of India (AOI) organized a news conference to commemorate this event.
Overuse of headphones can lead to hearing loss, according to Dr. Dwaipayan Mukherjee, ENT surgeon, professor, and head of KPC Medical College and Hospital, and President of AOI’s All India. He added that hearing might be seriously harmed by the loud noise produced by firecrackers during celebrations like Durga Puja and Kali Puja.
Recurrent cold-related ear infections or water exposure can cause hearing loss. The AOI West Bengal Chapter’s President, Dr. Utpal Jana, stressed the importance of speaking with ENT specialists about such issues.
If someone has ear issues, AOI advises them to see an ENT doctor. According to the organization’s secretary, Dr. Ajay Khawas, early identification of hearing problems in newborns enables interventions such as cochlear implants or hearing aids.
Dr. Snehashis Barman stressed that headphones should be used for work purposes with sound levels below 50 dB and that users should not use them for more than two hours at a time.
According to Dr. Soumendranath Bandopadhyay, AOI emphasizes the value of using glasses or other hearing aids in order to live a normal life on September 28, International Day for the Deaf.
Although many ear issues can be resolved with the help of modern medical technology, there is still a lack of public understanding regarding hearing health.
Priyanka Dutta