If you find yourself saying “What did you say?”, you may be among the many people who are experiencing some kind of “trouble” with their hearing. While the extent of hearing impairment in any community is hard to measure, with much of it unreported, experts agree that the advent of cochlear implantation and digitalized hearing aids are changing the whole course of how this disability was managed in the past. Valley’s famous ENT Consultant and HOD Department of ENT, JLNM Hospital, Dr Shafqat Islam who is also Divisional Nodal Officer NPPCD, gladly agreed to take Azhar Hajini inside his office to tell us about hearing impairment and its treatment.
Excerpts
AH: Tell us first about World Hearing Day and its theme?
SI: Every year, March 3 is observed as World Hearing Day to raise awareness on preventing deafness and hearing loss. It is basically observed to promote ear and hearing care across the world. Coming to this year’s theme, the WHO has set, “to hear for life, listen with care” as the theme for World Hearing Day. The focus this year will be on the importance and means of hearing loss prevention through safe listening as means of maintaining good hearing throughout the life.
AH: Can deafness from birth be cured? We get so many questions about whether or not there is a cure, or a way to quickly and easily restore or repair hearing levels to such people, is there any possibility?
SI: Majority of the deafness of birth fall in the spectrum of Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SHL) and qualify for cochlear implantation which restores their hearing but till such time, hearing aids can offer great help as a rescue. We offer hearing aids for less than 15 years under NPPCD (National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness ).
AH: How hearing loss occurs or tell us what signs and symptoms of hearing loss may include. Besides this, please tell us what are the most common reasons due to which someone’s hearing is damaged?
SI: In early years, besides Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SHL), Conductive Hearing Loss (CHL), and infection in the middle ear and secretory otitis media due to collection of fluid in middle ear are also common. The same applies to middle and later age groups but with a different incidence. All symptomatic patients like those with hardness of hearing or ear discharge need to be investigated and many of them can benefit from various surgical options available.
AH: You are also nodal officer of NPPCD, tell us what has your Organization done so far regarding awareness, tell us which programmes your organisation is conducting (or has so far conducted) on mass level to aware people in this regard?
SI: Under the NPPCD of which I’m Divisional Nodal Officer, we are offering screening services like, PTA, OAE, BERA for early diagnosis of hearing loss at JLNM Hospital. Also surgeries like Tympanoplasties, tympanomastoid surgeries and myrigotomies with ventilation tubes are routinely done. Also we are doing CME ‘s and awareness programmes for the healthcare workers and common masses for sensitization. Also these facilities are being planned for all districts of the UT in coming years. Due to Covid-19, there were interruptions but Insha’Allah things will streamline again.
AH: As you know our technologies have become smarter and more connected, to us and to each other, the line between real and virtual blurs. We want to know from Dr Shafqat that which machines or medicines are available for such people so that their way of living will be made a bit easier?
SI: Cochlear implantation has offered a great hope for the early age hearing loss patients and its benefits for post lingual patients are also there . For those who have middle ear infections, tympanomastoid surgeries are indicated and in expert hands it greatly help patients. Also hearing aids are other options if surgery is contraindicated or refused by patients.
AH: For most families of children with hearing loss, the first important step toward hearing health will be having their infant or child fitted with hearing aids. But the question is as they (Child) grow, do they need periodic hearing exams and new hearing aids with time?
SI: Yes, till Definitive Cochlear Implantation (which is a costly surgery if not supported by various schemes) is planned, the hearing aids remain an extremely beneficial option and nowadays highly digitalized ones are available, but the parents need counseling for their effective use.
AH: Do you think (WHD) benefits such people? Even from the last three years, the COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant loss of life, disrupting livelihoods, and threatening the advances in health as well as in progress, was your department able to celebrate this particular day during these years?
SI: Yes 3rd March as a World Hearing Day can be very important for creating awareness about hearing loss, its diagnosis and management, since it is being recognized as a major disease causing physical disability worldwide. Yes the covid pandemic has certainly affected the Control of Deafness programme but now things are getting back to normal and for good.
AH: When it comes to ENT, what kind of advancements are day by day taking place in this particular field? Furthermore, Is the way of treatment as old as it was some 30 or 40 years ago, or somehow we can say it has changed with time?
SI: The advent of cochlear implantation and digitalized hearing aids are changing the whole course of how this disability was managed in the past, but because of the cost effects, the benefits of these to the patients in the developing world need financial support mechanisms. Also stem cell research in hearing cells can benefit the growing old age population of Sensorineural hearing loss in future Insha’Allah.
AH: How will parents know if their baby has a hearing problem at the time of birth? As we know in foriegn countries newborns get a hearing screening before going home, but such things are missing here. Isn’t it that much important to check their hearing within the first weeks of their life?
SI: Yes, early screening is important, but only high risk screening is possible. Because of the lack of diagnostic centres, like in newborns, if parents observe lack of response to sounds, or delay in speech or poor performance in school, they should immediately consult a doctor for checkup.
AH: It’s common for people to use cotton swabs to clean wax out of their ear canal, is it advisable? Even the neckband, earpod market is booming nowadays. No wonder then we find most people with headphones plugged in their ears, listening to loud music for longer periods of time. I’m also an example. These devices block out outside sounds, so do they make us vulnerable to hearing issues?
SI: You see, nature has kept a limit for usage of every organ, so like the servicing of our automobiles or any machine periodically our ears also need the same care. We shouldn’t use loud sounds and continuous usage of modern day hearing gadgetry to allow our ears to replenish themselves. Also unnecessary fiddling with ear buds or other means should be strictly avoided. Better to consult a specialist if need arises. Yes, using all these ear gadgets for prolonged periods will have harmful effects, since ears are very sensitive sense organs. Limiting their usage as much as possible and alternating between ears can help maintain hearing .
AH: Parental anxiety is commonplace. What have you learned about the anxieties of the parents you have encountered with, and how it shapes their decision-making?
SI: Yes, parental anxiety is a huge factor and needs to be properly addressed with counseling and hope. Because post surgical management, especially in cochlear implantation, needs post implant rehabilitation, which is quite tedious and often underestimated by parents.
AH: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
SI: Lastly, hearing is one of the essences of life and its proper care in all stages of life is important for our normal healthy living and this day should help us in this resolve .
AH: Thank you very much Dr Shafqat. It was great talking to you on this very special day.
SI: Thank you Azhar for providing me this opportunity to share my views with esteemed readers of Good Morning Kashmir on this important day.
