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Hearing loss becomes an occupational disease, factory retired elderly account for the main body

In China, nearly half of the elderly who have retired from the factory suffer from hearing loss. However, they are not aware that this is actually an occupational disease.

  

Neglected occupational disease

According to the NIH1990 year, the proportion of noise-induced hearing loss in adult hearing loss is as high as one-third or more. These people are mostly engaged in manufacturing, farm, gardening, construction, mining and transportation. However, most of the workers who work in these jobs go to the doctor until they have a serious obstacle to retirement or hearing. This often causes irreversible hearing loss.

The effect of noise on hearing is varied. When the noise intensity is low, it does not affect normal communication. This situation does not cause permanent damage to the auditory system; however, when the noise intensity is high and the exposure time is long. It will cause temporary hearing loss, which will persist for a period of time after the noise has ceased. If it exceeds the critical level, it will cause damage to the internal structure of the cochlea and cause permanent hearing loss.

  

Noise loss

There are three changes in hearing after exposure to a strong noise environment. One is temporary threshold shift (NITTS), the other is permanent threshold shift (NITPS), and the third is hearing impairment.

Temporary threshold shift refers to a temporary decrease in hearing sensitivity in a strong noise environment, which is manifested by decreased hearing sensitivity, ear suffocation, and tinnitus. This symptom duration typically ranges from a few hours to a few days, depending on the time and intensity of exposure to the noise site.

When the temporary threshold shift cannot be fully recovered, it becomes a permanent threshold shift. But it is often caused by the accumulation of multiple temporary threshold shifts. When exposed to a noisy environment, swollen hair cells can rupture, hair cell distortion, stereocilia fusion, or static cilia can no longer effectively transmit energy to hair cells. Severe can even lead to degeneration of the auditory nerve fibers, causing changes in the central auditory system.

If the number of damaged hair cells is small, no significant auditory changes will be felt early in the noise exposure. People often can’t detect themselves in such small changes. They will realize their hearing loss after years of repeated noise working environment. Unfortunately, it is too late.

Acoustic damage occurs in a strong noise exposure, such as an explosion. Even if the exposure time is short, due to the high strength, it may cause permanent damage to the cochlea. In addition to directly damaging the inner hair cells of the cochlea, the tympanic membrane may also rupture, and hearing loss in this condition should be immediately noticed.

  

More than half of occupational diseases are hearing loss

According to Taiwan’s “Occupational Injury Diagnosis and Treatment Network” occupational disease notification statistics, 2014-2015 Taiwan’s occupational hearing loss accounted for 57.7% of occupational injuries, far higher than traditional occupational diseases such as occupational musculoskeletal diseases. In terms of occupational categories, most of the hearing loss people are engaged in the manufacturing industry.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Ministry of Labor of Taiwan, there are only 10 Occupational Injury Control Centers and 68 Network Hospitals in the whole Taiwan. The average number of Occupational Diseases reported by 3 is as high as 2000, and 2015 is used as an example. The highest proportion is occupational hearing loss 2242, accounting for 1294%, while the second occupational musculoskeletal disease and the third occupational skin disease account for 57.7%.

  

  

  

Taiwan OSHC data

Through data comparison, it has been found that the rate of occupational hearing loss has risen sharply in recent years. It is not limited to traditional manufacturing, but also spreads in restaurants, construction and other industries. What is even more surprising is that it belongs to white-collar workers. In recent years, office workers have also reported small-scale occupational hearing loss.

The traditional manufacturing textile industry and the metal parts assembly processing industry are the hardest hit areas for employees to hear the loss. For example, the use of fast spinning machines or lathes, washing machines and punching machines are all working noises that generate repeated high-frequency noise. , heavy industry manufacturing work 5 years of above-line workers have 90% or more people have a slight hearing loss or hearing loss tendency, unfortunately, 8 workers in them have not worn the hearing protective equipment according to the standard, after doctors check The hearing loss of these people is irreversible.

In China, most people with hearing loss occupational diseases are elderly people who have retired from traditional manufacturing factories. Due to the lack of understanding of hearing and labor protection in the early stage, more than half of first-line retired workers have different levels of hearing loss.

  

Prevent occupational hearing loss

Preventing occupational hearing loss requires not only the employer’s employer to regularly monitor the working environment, but also to arrange hearing health checks every year, and to control noise sources. Appropriate protective equipment must be provided. However, at present, there is no particularly rigid requirement for working in a high-noise environment, and it is necessary to wear a labor protection tool, which leads to a large number of people eventually going to listen to occupational diseases.

Therefore, we call for the protection of our own hearing, such as wearing noise-reducing earplugs and avoiding exposure to strong noise, etc., in the case of imperfect legal systems. It is important to know how important a good hearing is to us. More money can’t recover irreversible hearing loss. In the era of hearing protection, the ear of love has been at the forefront of Chinese hearing health. At the hearing health center in Beijing, there are corresponding noise-reducing custom earplugs that can help you protect your hearing in a noisy environment, and also for many from the factory. The retired old man with hearing loss regained his hearing.

Jinghao medical hearing aid reminder: hearing aids need to be professionally “fitted”, it is very important to choose a professional hearing aid fitting center and hearing aid fittings! All patients and friends have any hearing problems can call the Jinghao medical consultation, or personally Come to the fitting center experience. Hearing aid free consultation phone: +86-18566295705

You can also scan our WeChat public account for more information about hearing.

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