JAKARTA - Hearing loss is one of the health problems that are quite common as people get older. This condition generally occurs gradually so that many people do not immediately realize the decline in their hearing function.
If it is not taken care of early, hearing loss can affect the ability to communicate and reduce the quality of life of a person in old age.
Head and neck surgery specialist, ear, nose, throat, Prof. Dr. Jenny Bashirudin, Sp.THTBKL, Subsp.NO (K) shared a number of tips to maintain hearing health so that it continues to function properly until old age.
The specialist doctor from the National Central General Hospital Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM) Jakarta emphasized the importance of implementing a healthy lifestyle as one of the efforts to maintain hearing function.
"With good healthy living habits, such as regular exercise, the overall body condition can be maintained. We often see parents who still look strong and healthy because they are still active in exercising, and usually their hearing condition is also still good," said Prof. Jenny in an online discussion about hearing loss in the elderly which was followed from Jakarta, as quoted by ANTARA.
He explained that a healthy lifestyle can also help reduce the risk of metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, which are known to trigger disorders in hearing function.
According to him, metabolic diseases can interfere with blood flow and the immune system, which ultimately have the potential to accelerate the occurrence of disorders in the ears.
Prof. Jenny, who is also a member of the Indonesian Association of Ear Nose and Throat Specialists - Head Neck Surgery, added that avoiding exposure to noise is also an important step in maintaining hearing health.
For people who work in environments with high noise levels, he recommends using ear protection to reduce the impact of loud sounds on the hearing organs.
In addition, he also reminded that some types of drugs have ototoxic effects, which can damage the inner ear, potentially causing hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance problems.
Drugs with such effects are generally used in the treatment of certain diseases, such as tuberculosis and cancer.
"Drugs that are very ototoxic should be avoided as much as possible," said Prof. Jenny.
However, he emphasized that the use of the drug is still necessary if the benefits are greater for the patient's health.
"If it does have an impact on the quality of life and is needed for the treatment of serious diseases such as cancer, then its use must still be carried out according to medical considerations," he said.
He added that hearing loss in the elderly is also inseparable from the aging process which causes a decrease in the function of various organs of the body.
"We know that in old age there is a process of degeneration where organ function will decrease. However, this condition should not lower the quality of life, so prevention efforts still need to be carried out to maintain hearing health," said Prof. Jenny.
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