By Samwel Ndoni
Mbeya: Have you ever tried talking to someone just two meters away in a noisy
environment? If you can't understand each other due to the noise, it's a clear
sign that the environment is unsafe for your hearing. Experts warn that
exposure to loud noises can significantly damage your ears.
According to specialists, environments
like public transport (especially motorbikes), barbershops, movie theaters,
entertainment venues, and the popular habit of wearing earphones are
particularly hazardous. Hearing loss occurs when any part of the ear fails to
function correctly, with noise, medication side effects, genetics, and other
factors being major contributors.
Dr. Fortnatus Sala from the ENT
department at Mbeya Regional Referral Hospital explains that prolonged exposure
to loud noise inevitably leads to hearing challenges. The human ear, divided
into the outer, middle, and inner sections, relies on a complex process to
convert sound into electrical signals that the brain can interpret. Prolonged
noise exposure damages the tiny hair cells responsible for this conversion,
leading to reduced hearing ability.
Dr. Costatine Kaniki, an ENT
specialist at Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital, emphasizes that noise-induced
hearing damage is irreversible. Once the ear cells are damaged, they cannot be
repaired or replaced. However, devices can assist those with hearing loss. Dr.
Kaniki notes that over 1.5 billion young people globally, aged 12 to 35, are at
risk of hearing damage from loud noises, particularly from earphones, discos,
churches, business places, and gyms.
Dr. Benedict Ngunyale, head of the ENT
department at Mbeya Regional Referral Hospital, reveals that his department
treats 50 patients daily with hearing problems, with 15 undergoing surgery each
week. The Secretary General of the Ear, Nose, and Throat Society, Dr. Raphael
Gabriel, urges the government to deploy ENT specialists to regional referral
hospitals and to provide hearing tests and speech therapy training to improve
service delivery. He also calls for hearing aids to be available through the
Medical Stores Department (MSD) and included in the national health insurance
scheme.
Health Ministry specialist Dr. Maisala
Karume highlights that over 60% of hearing issues, especially in children, can
be identified at primary health care centers. According to the 2022 Tanzania
Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS-MIS) report, 2% of Tanzanians have hearing
problems. Women are more affected than men, with Kilimanjaro (7.4%), Ruvuma
(5.5%), Njombe (5.4%), Songwe (5.2%), and Lindi (5.0%) being the most affected
regions.
Symptoms of hearing loss include
difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, inability to hear
consonants, mixing up or mispronouncing words, and often asking others to speak
slowly and loudly. Those affected may also speak loudly, even in close
conversations. Recognizing these signs early and taking preventive measures can
safeguard your hearing health amidst the increasing noise pollution.