Hearing loss: What your ears aren't telling you - until it's too late

For many, hearing is a silent gift, unnoticed until it begins to fade. In Kenya, where conversations weave through matatus, marketplaces and homesteads, the gift of hearing is often taken for granted.

Yet the ears, small as they are, play a powerful role in how we experience the world.

 Dr Grace Mwangi, an otolaryngologist based at Nairobi Hospital, is urging Kenyans to rethink how they care for their ears, warning that hearing loss is more common and preventable than many realise.

 "Most people only associate the ear with hearing, but it's much more than that," Dr Mwangi explains. The ear is a multitasking marvel, not only capturing sound but also maintaining balance and orientation.

 Breaking down the ear’s structure, she paints a vivid picture of its three parts: the outer, middle and inner ear. The outer ear is what we commonly see, a shell-like structure leading to a narrow canal resembling a cave. This canal ends at the eardrum, the boundary between the outer and middle ear.

• AAR introduces newborn ENT tests to improve early detection of hearing loss

 The middle ear houses three tiny bones that create a wave-like motion, transmitting sound vibrations to the inner ear. It's like a football wave, where one bone moves the next in sequence.

 But the real powerhouse lies deeper within. The inner ear, shaped like a coiled snail shell, converts these vibrations into electrical signals sent to the brain. It's also home to the balance system, which helps us stay upright and oriented.

 Dizziness and light-headedness are often brushed off as minor inconveniences, but Dr Mwangi warns they could signal deeper problems.

 "Many people don't know that balance issues can stem from the ear," she says.

"What you describe as feeling faint or lightheaded could be what we call vertigo, a sign of an inner ear disorder."

 Unlike vision problems, hearing loss often goes unnoticed, both by those experiencing it and those around them. If you're blind, people can see you fumbling. But if you're not hearing, no one knows unless you speak up. It can leave you feeling isolated and withdrawn.

 Ageing naturally affects hearing, but Dr Mwangi stresses that younger people are increasingly at risk. Noise pollution, headphones and loud entertainment venues are accelerating hearing loss among the youth.

 "Entertainment culture has made high volumes the norm, from concerts to everyday headphone use. Your ears weren't built for constant loud sounds."

 Sound is measured in decibels, with normal hearing ranging from 0 to 20 decibels. But everyday activities can easily surpass safe levels.

 "A vacuum cleaner hits around 70 decibels, and that's already annoying. Imagine what happens when you're at a concert or club where sound can hit 100 decibels or more."

 While one loud blast, like a bomb explosion, can cause immediate damage, long-term exposure to loud noise can be just as harmful.

 "It's the little, repetitive insults to your ears that catch up with you. Monday to Monday in the club or constantly blasting music through headphones could have you seeing an ENT sooner than you'd like."

 Myths of Ear Care

 Cotton buds are a staple in many households, but Dr Mwangi says they do more harm than good.

 "Your ear is self-cleaning. When you use cotton buds, you're actually pushing wax deeper into the canal," she explains. "It's one of the reasons we see so many infections and blockages."

 Hearing loss may be a natural part of ageing, but it doesn't have to rob you of quality of life. Hearing aids, often met with stigma, are no different from reading glasses.

 "People wear glasses without shame, but hearing aids still carry unnecessary embarrassment. If it helps you hear better, why not embrace it?"

 In Kenya, a significant issue exists regarding hearing problems, with a particularly high rate of moderate to severe hearing loss among children, affecting around 14 out of every 1,000 children — about 10 times higher than in the US. This often leads to challenges with accessing education and social integration due to a lack of trained sign language teachers and limited resources for the deaf community.

 According to the World Health Organization, 54 million people in Africa will experience disabling hearing loss by 2030.

 Key factors contributing to hearing problems in Kenya include lack of awareness, poor access to healthcare services, financial constraints and limited educational resources.

 This year's World Hearing Day theme builds upon the 2024 focus on changing mindsets towards ear and hearing care. The campaign invites individuals of all ages to empower themselves to ensure healthy ears and hearing for themselves and others, with the theme, "Changing mindsets: empower yourself to make ear and hearing care a reality for all!"

 According to Dr Mwangi, the hair cells in the inner ear, crucial for hearing, are irreplaceable. Once damaged, they're gone for good.

 "You can't go to the shop and buy a new inner ear. That's why prevention is everything," she observes.

 Her advice? Limit exposure to loud sounds, take breaks from headphones and seek medical attention at the first sign of hearing loss or dizziness.