ENT surgeon explains why more young Indians are suffering from hearing problems, shares safety tips: 'Follow 60/60 rule'

Hearing loss is no longer age-related. Experts say such problems in young adults – school students to working professionals – have become a cause for concern.

Hearing loss isn't just affecting older adults anymore – young adults are experiencing hearing problems too, and it's becoming a concern among experts. According to a 2015 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, 'some 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss'.

Doctor says keep volumes at or below 60 percent of the maximum when using headphones or earbuds. (Freepik)

Causes and risks of hearing loss in young adults

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, experts share that the main culprits behind this increased risk are unsafe listening practices related to using personal listening devices like headphones and earbuds, and exposure to loud music at venues. WHO data indicates that among teenagers and young adults aged 12-35 years, 'nearly 50 percent are exposed to unsafe levels of sound from the use of personal audio devices and around 40 percent are exposed to potentially damaging levels of sound at entertainment venues'.

Explaining this trend, Dr Murarji Ghadge, senior ENT surgeon and sleep disorder specialist at Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune said, “Over the past few years, there has been an increasing incidence of hearing problems among young people — school students, college students, and working professionals — to a great extent owing to the improper and excessive use of headphones.”

He added, “Most young patients come with symptoms such as pain in the ear, ringing sound (tinnitus), reduced hearing, and not being able to understand speech, all of which are symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). In contrast to age-related hearing loss, NIHL does not discriminate by age due to chronic exposure to loud noise, usually via personal audio players that can exceed safe limits.”

Not only headphones even workplaces can be risky

Agreeing that hearing problems in young adults are a cause for concern nowadays, Shehnaz Shaikh, consultant, audiology and speech therapy, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre listed the leading causes of noise exposure:

1. “The younger generation enjoys visits to pubs, clubs, music concerts, and movie theatres, and these places have gadgets that play high-volume music, drumbeats, etc,” she said.

2. Warning against excessive use of headphones, earphones, or earplugs, she said, “These are sometimes not of good quality and can damage hearing capacity. Listening time and volume matter while using headphones and earplugs.”

3. “Sometimes, workplaces have machinery that makes a lot of noise, and workers are exposed to loud sounds continuously for 3 to 8 hours or more. This leads to permanent damage to the hair cells in the inner ear if exposed to loud noise repeatedly. It is an irreversible loss. Hence, taking breaks from listening through headphones or earplugs is essential,” Shehnaz added.

Simple measures to stay safe

According to Dr Ghadge, with more screen time, digital learning, video games, and the wearing of noise-cancelling headphones, danger has increased. But this can be avoided by taking simple measures, he said as he suggested ways to protect your hearing in daily life: “Adhering to the 60/60 rule (listening at 60 percent volume for 60 minutes at a stretch), having frequent breaks, booking regular hearing check-ups, and generating awareness among parents, schools, and the young generation themselves. It is important to change the narrative — hearing loss is no longer an age issue, and protecting our hearing health needs to start early.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.