Abstract:
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus in the Digital Age: An Alarming Trend in Younger Generations   The digital age has revolutionized how we interact with sound, but it has also ushered in unprecedented public health concerns; noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and tinnitus.1 With the proliferation of personal listening devices, loud concerts, and high levels of occupational noise exposure, our ears are constantly exposed to harmful levels of sound. Recent studies have revealed that younger generation is exposing themselves to potentially hazardous recreational noise leading to hearing problems.2  NIHL is considered one of the most common cause of hearing impairment globally. It occurs when the hair cells within the cochlea are damaged due to excessive noise exposure over prolonged time. This often coincides with tinnitus, which may persist long after the initial noise exposure is over. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 1 billion young adults worldwide are at risk of developing NIHL due to unsafe listening practices.3 NIHL at one time was mainly limited to the occupational noise exposure in comparatively middle aged or older people after working for decades in factories and other noisy places. According to a study, about half of all teenagers and young adults in middle and high income countries are exposed to unsafe level of sound by use to personal audio devices.4 Involvement of younger generation with NIHL and tinnitus is a considerably alarming situation.