STIGMA AROUND HEARING LOSS, WHICH IS NOT BY BIRTH IN MANY CASES

Hearing loss is still not discussed as much as we talk about anxiety, depression, cancer, cardiac diseases, or other health conditions these days. Yet, taking care of your hearing like you care for the rest of your body is equally important.

People feel uncomfortable with others knowing about their hearing loss. This is especially true if it is not by birth and happens later in their lives by exposure to loud noises, aging, or the combination of both or occurring as a complication of other diseases or fatal accidents.

People are ashamed of the things that make them different in the so-called accepted norms of society. They feel that talking about their hearing inefficiency would make them look less capable and out of place. So, if the hearing loss is mild, like needing things to be repeated or missing out on small everyday sounds, people tend to ignore it. They hope it's only a temporary issue and will rectify itself. But certain conditions can be profound, like mishearing important information or not being able to hear basic conversation at home and the workplace.

At the same time, it is easy for people with normal hearing abilities to get frustrated with miscommunication when dealing with those with minor hearing deficiencies. However, having empathy and being able to relate to what your loved one, friend, or colleague is experiencing with hearing loss may help increase your patience.

No one gets used to living with hearing loss overnight. This is especially true for older people, who wait for quite some years to accept they have a problem and need to get treated. Sometimes it takes someone else with hearing loss to help a person see how much they are struggling and how getting help could improve their life.

We need to change how hearing health is perceived around us collectively. Hearing assessment or audiometry tests should be a regular part of hospitals' full-body health checks like any other test. This can help identify any early signs of hearing impairment in individuals of any age. Along with promoting care for health as a whole, corporations and government offices in India should also promote hearing health checks. Periodic hearing screenings at schools should be made a standard practice. Hearing Loss Prevention Education should be implemented in elementary schools.

Once these audiometry tests are a standard part of health care in our country, hearing problems will no longer be considered shameful. As we advance with these hearing health practices, people wouldn't be afraid to accept and talk about their hearing loss and look for solutions like hearing aids and cochlear implants for a fuller life.