by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition
For the past several years, the World Health Organization has sponsored World Hearing Day, one day during the year when WHO draws attention to hearing health issues.
Each year WHO selects a theme for its communications. This year, the theme is “Hear the future.” With the theme “Hear the future,” World Hearing Day 2018 will draw attention to the anticipated increase in the number of people with hearing loss around the world in the coming decades. It will focus on preventive strategies to stem the rise and outline steps to ensure access to the necessary rehabilitation services and communication tools and products for people with hearing loss.
There are many causes of hearing loss–congenital conditions, repeated ear infections, head trauma, degenerative genetic conditions, various chronic diseases, and ototoxic drugs among them–but the most common cause of hearing loss is noise exposure.
Which should give us a sense of hope in the fight against hearing loss, because unlike other causes, noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable.
Remember: if it sounds too loud, it IS too loud!
Your ears are like your knees or your eyes: you only have two of them. Take good care of them, protect them from loud noise, and you will be able to hear well all your life.
