Ears require utmost care for proper functioning: expert

LAHORE:Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers), on Wednesday, organised a seminar on “Hearing for All” to create awareness among the general public with regard to importance of hearing and the hazards of deafness on World Hearing Day on Wednesday.

“The ears are important and sensitive organs of human body and require utmost care for proper functioning,” said Dr Nasrullah Rana, a noted ENT consultant, while delivering a state-of-the-art lecture on “Growing hearing disorders and latest treatment” at a local hotel.

Dr Nasrullah Rana stressed the need to create awareness among the masses about hearing disorders as well as latest techniques for protection of the ability of hearing. “The most common ear ailments are dismantling of ear membrane, noise in ears, deafness, etc.,” he added. Terming World Hearing Day an event to create awareness among the masses, Dr Nasrullah said that he had been raising awareness as a representative of Pakistan Society of ENT Surgeons since 1981.

“On my recommendation, the then President General Ziaul Haq had established modern centres for diagnosis of deafness in Islamabad and the provincials capitals of all four provinces in the country. He said that the disorders like abnormal growth of nose bone and running nose were curable. Falling of mucus in throat and adenoids among minors were a major cause of deafness.

He identified excessive use of mobile and hands-free as a major cause of ear disorders, saying that cotton buds should not be used to clean ears as they may damage or rupture ear membrane. He said that all latest treatment methods, techniques and facilities for the treatment of ENT ailments were available in Pakistan. He said that cochlear implant was a modern method of the 21st century for treatment of deafness.

However, he informed, cochlear implants do not work in patients, usually in those suffering from cancer, with damaged cochlear nerve, adding that such patients were treated through latest treatment technique known as brain system implant. He said that masking device was quite effective to stop ear noise, while hearing aid was easy and affordable way of solving the problem of deafness or hearing loss. “If deafness can be detected at an early childhood stage, the child can be saved from dumbness as well,” he added. He said the people suffering from hearing loss should not be hesitant to use hearing aid, which is just like using glasses for weak eyesight. He said that deafness especially in elderly age, if not treated, may lead to psychological problems in the patient, who starts feeling lonely due to loss of hearing.

He informed that mucus test was done to diagnose sinusitis, which causes DNS or abnormal growth of nose bone and also affects ears. “The DNS interrupts normal breathing and leads to deafness and asthma among the patients, but it can be treated with a normal operation,” he added. He informed that tonsils also cause deafness, which can be treated with operation at an early stage. MKRMS Chairman Wasif Nagi hosted the lecture while Rubab Fatima, Wardah Tariq and Fatima Imran assisted him.