On 3 rd March, Every year World Hearing Day is widely celebrated to raise awareness, to prevent deafness and to promote ear and hearing care across the planet. It was started by the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) in 2007 and was originally known as International Ear Care Day.

Theme 2020

WHO has decided the theme for 2020 is “Hearing for Life. Don’t let hearing loss limit you”.The selection of the theme by the World Health Organization expresses the key message that that timely and effective involvement can ensure that people with hearing loss are able to achieve their full potential. It recognizes that at all life stages good hearing health and communication connect us to the world. It highlights that appropriate and timely interventions can facilitate access to employment, communication, and education. There are insufficient hearing and ear care, across the globe. Unfortunately, across the globe, ear and hearing care are insufficient, and the WHO proclaims that all public health systems should include ear and hearing care.

INFORMATION SOURCE: https://www.who.int/deafness/world-hearing-day/whd-2020/en/

Causes of hearing loss

Congenital causes

Congenital causes may lead to hearing loss at the time of birth or soon after birth. Hearing loss can be caused by genetic factors, hereditary and non-hereditary or complications during childbirth and pregnancy.

• Infectious disease during pregnancy

• lack of oxygen or less weight at the time of birth
• inappropriate use of drugs during pregnancy, such as antimalarial drugs, aminoglycosides, and cytotoxic drugs.
• severe jaundice during the birth of a child, which can damage the hearing nerve in a newborn infant.

Acquired causes

Acquired causes may lead to deafness at any age, such as:

• aging, in particular, due to the degeneration of sensory cells

• Ear infections or infectious diseases like mumps and measles.
• Exposure to excessive noise such as occupational noise from machinery and explosions
• recreational exposure to loud sounds such as use audio devices at high volumes, attending regular concerts, nightclubs, and sporting events
• wax blocking the ear canal.