Excessive use of headset can trigger hearing loss

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Exposure to loud noise and excessive usage of headphones for a prolonged period of time can lead to hearing loss, director of non-communicable disease control at the Ministry of Health, Eva Susanti, has said.

Specifically, exposure to noise of intensity above 80 dB for a duration of over 40 hours within a week can cause hearing loss, she informed during the 2023 World Hearing Day press conference followed online on Wednesday.

Consistent exposure to noise at high volume can harm sensory hair cells in the inner ear, she said. Advanced technological devices currently present a challenge by making hearing problems even more complicated, Susanti added.

"This is because of a new habit in the pandemic, which has conditioned many people to conduct activities while using hearing devices, and most of them neglect ear health," she noted. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that around 1 billion youngsters are at risk of hearing loss, especially due to noise exposure such as through hearing loud music.

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"More than 50 percent of the population aged 12 to 35 years hear music through smartphone MP3 software at volumes that may harm ear health," she said. Noise exposure can also be encountered in factories due to the deafening friction of hard objects, she added.

"This situation not only harms hearing, but may also trigger heart disease, sleep disorders, as well as cognitive disorders," she said. The Basic Health Research Report (Riskesdas) for 2013 and 2018 has shown that the prevalence of hearing loss among the population aged 50 years and above in Indonesia has reached 2.6 percent. This means that 2 to 3 people out of 100 are experiencing hearing loss, while the rate of deafness has been recorded at 0.09 percent.