16 million people in Middle East already suffer from this invisible disability

DUBAI, UAE - March 4, 2020 - PRLog -- Hearing is vital to communicating, sharing and engaging with the world around us. It opens us to an infinity of experiences, and plays a major role in our physical and mental health, relationships, and overall quality of life. Started in 2007 by the World Health Organization (WHO), World Hearing Day aims to raise awareness and promote ear and hearing care around the world. Close to 16 million people in the Middle East suffer from this invisible disabling - hearing loss.

This condition may result from genetic causes, complications at birth, certain infectious diseases, chronic ear infections, the use of particular drugs, exposure to excessive noise, and ageing.

Giscard Bechara, Director, Starkey MEA FZCO stated that, "At Starkey we believe that hearing health is essential to overall health and wellness. Unfortunately, unlike any other health condition hearing disabilities are left untreated till the person loses his complete sense of hearing in most cases. Starkey Hearing Technologies has been 100% focused on better hearing since its founding over 50 years ago — and, since 1984, Starkey has travelled non-stop around the world, delivering the gift of hearing to the most vulnerable among us, all so more people across the world may hear."

As per the World health Organisation (WHO), around 466 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss, and 34 million out of these are children. Also, upto 60% of childhood hearing loss is due to preventable causes. Another upcoming challenge is that, 1.1 billion young people (aged between 12–35 years) are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to noise in recreational settings. It is estimated that by 2050 over 900 million people will have disabling hearing loss.

"Hearing loss is considered to be an invisible condition that occurs gradually over time. It isn't something you can see. Your hearing typically changes slowly over time and that makes it harder to realize that you are 'losing your power of hearing. What each person experiences as their first signs of hearing loss varies from person to person," added Giscard.

Recent research from Johns Hopkins reveals that hearing loss is also linked with walking problems, falls and even dementia. In a study that tracked 639 adults for nearly 12 years, experts from Johns Hopkins found that mild hearing loss doubled dementia risk. Moderate hearing loss tripled risk, and people with a severe hearing impairment were five times more likely to develop dementia.