Online Meetings Using Headsets Can Cause Hearing Loss, Here's How To Prevent It

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JAKARTA - The current COVID-19 pandemic requires us to hold online meetings due to activity restrictions. In this online meeting, we often use a headset so that we can hear the voice clearly.

The Indonesian Association of Ear Nose Throat Surgeons (Perhati KL) Indonesia said that online meetings using this headset, if excessive, can cause hearing loss, you know.

KL Indonesia Perhati Center Manager, Jenny Bashiruddin, said that the use of headsets during online meetings or other activities needed to be limited to prevent hearing loss.

The first way, do not set the volume to the maximum. Then, we need to take a break from using the headset at least once an hour.

"For the use of a headset, of course, the volume should not be large, at least 60 percent of the existing volume," said Jenny in a statement, Sunday, March 6.

In addition, it is necessary to have regular ear examinations to clean the dirt in them. If the earwax is normal, the examination can be done every 6 months.

"But if the cerumen (stool) hardens quickly, then the examination is carried out every 3 to 4 months," said Jenny.

In principle, the ear contains sebaceous glands and cerumen glands that will produce dirt in one-third of the hole. So, the dirt should be able to come out on its own.

If you want to clean, Jenny suggests not using cotton buds. Because. it will damage the inside of the ear. Better, Jenny said that only the outside is cleaned, wiped, and should not get into the ear.

“We don't recommend cleaning it yourself. So, if the dirt is really fast, it has to be cleaned every six months," she said.

Then, further examination is needed to determine the level of hearing. For employees with a noisy workplace exceeding 85 decibels, a hearing examination is recommended once a year.

"But if he does not work in a noisy place, of course, his hearing does not need to be checked once a year, it can be every two or three years," she added.