Teens are at risk of hearing loss

If your mom tells you to put the volume down, you have to listen.

A new study lead by Larry Roberts of McMaster University in Ontario was focused on the prevalence of tinnitus (chronically ringing in the ears) in students between the ages of 11 and 17. It was found that 29% of participants had developed persistent tinnitus, which typically affects those over the age of 50. About 55% of participants had experienced the condition within the past 12 months [1].

WHO states that 1.1 billion people (especially teenagers) at risk of hearing loss

In its press release World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted serious threat posed by exposure to recreational noise. Some 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices, including smartphones, and exposure to damaging levels of sound at noisy entertainment venues such as nightclubs, bars and sporting events.

Data from studies in middle- and high-income countries analyzed by WHO indicate that among teenagers and young adults aged 12-35 years, nearly 50% are exposed to unsafe levels of sound from the use of personal audio devices and around 40% are exposed to potentially damaging levels of sound at entertainment venues. Unsafe levels of sounds can be, for example, exposure to in excess of 85 decibles (dB) for eight hours or 100dB for 15 minutes.

WHO recommendations

Hearing loss has potentially devastating consequences for physical and mental health, education and employment.

WHO recommends that the highest permissible level of noise exposure in the workplace is 85 dB up to a maximum of eight hours per day. Many patrons of nightclubs, bars and sporting events are often exposed to even higher levels of sound, and should therefore considerably reduce the duration of exposure. For example, exposure to noise levels of 100 dB, which is typical in such venues, is safe for no more than 15 minutes.

Extended Health Insurance

Worldwide, 360 million people today have moderate to profound hearing loss due to various causes, such as noise, genetic conditions, complications at birth, certain infectious diseases, chronic ear infections, the use of particular drugs, and aging. It is estimated that half of all cases of hearing loss are avoidable.

If you or your teen is at risk of hearing loss, buying a health insurance policy is a great idea.

Most of the extended health insurance plans provide affordable coverage for unexpected health expenses and many ongoing health-related services not covered by OHIP. Generally, an extended health insurance policy can help with the cost of:

• Prescription drugs (A prescription drug is a licensed medicine that is regulated by legislation to require a medical prescription before it can be obtained. The term is used to distinguish it from over-the-counter drugs which can be obtained without a prescription.)
• Basic dental care
• Vision care
• Medical supplies, such as diabetic and incontinence supplies
• Transportation to and from medical appointments, and
• Assistive devices, including hearing aids.

About 27.6% of Canadians’ health care is paid for through the private sector. This mostly goes towards services not covered or only partially covered by OHIP, such as prescription drugs, dentistry and optometry. Even if you are covered with supplementary private health insurance through your employer it might not be enough for your needs. Moreover, this health insurance ends when you change your job. And if you are self-employed, having a medical insurance policy is just a must.

Please contact me to get a quote on health insurance plan you are interested in. It’s absolutely free and you are under no obligation to accept the quote you’ll receive.

References

1. Tinnitus is associated with reduced sound level tolerance in adolescents with normal audiograms and otoacoustic emissions”, “Scientific Reports” 6, Article number: 27109 (2016) – http://www.nature.com/articles/srep27109
2. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/ear-care/en/