An Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist, Chuka Edokwe, has cautioned Nigerians against sitting close to loud speakers during church services and social events to prevent noise-induced hearing damage.
Edokwe, a surgeon at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, gave the warning in an interview with reporters to mark World Hearing Day, observed annually on March 3.
He said the 2026 theme, “From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children,” underscores the need for early screening, affordable hearing devices, and integration into school health programmes.
The consultant warned that prolonged or high-volume use of earpods and earphones poses serious risks, describing excessive exposure to loud sounds as a growing global public health concern.
“Usually our phones have warning signals when increasing the volume, but prolonged usage or even short periods at very loud levels can be detrimental,” he said.
Edokwe stressed that misconceptions linking hearing loss to spiritual causes must end, noting that most cases are medically explainable and treatable when detected early.
He identified otitis media with effusion — fluid buildup in the middle ear — as the most common acquired cause of hearing loss among newborns and young children.
“The condition, often linked to adenoid enlargement, recurrent respiratory infections and allergies, is usually temporary and treatable with appropriate medical intervention,” he explained.
According to him, congenital hearing loss remains the leading overall cause in children, with genetic factors accounting for more than 60 per cent of cases.
Genetic causes are divided into syndromic (hearing loss with other conditions) and non-syndromic (hearing loss existing independently without additional abnormalities).
Non-genetic causes include infections and toxic substances taken during early pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester when the ears are still developing.
In adults, Edokwe listed presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) and noise-induced hearing loss as leading causes nationwide.
“Other causes include excessive earwax, drug-related ototoxicity from medications such as gentamicin, certain antihypertensives and quinine-based antimalarials,” he added.
To prevent hearing damage, he recommended early antenatal care, avoidance of ototoxic drugs and herbal mixtures during pregnancy (especially in the first trimester), newborn hearing screening before one month of age, repeat testing at three months, and appropriate intervention by six months.
Edokwe urged Nigerians to avoid excessive noise, heed phone volume warnings, and use protective earmuffs, especially for factory workers exposed to high noise levels.
“Parents should watch for delayed speech, poor response to calls, limited babbling, behavioral challenges and consistently raised television volume in children.
“For adults, warning signs include frequently asking others to repeat themselves, muffled sounds, ringing in the ears and difficulty communicating in conversations,” he said.
He advised parents to regulate the duration and volume of children’s listening devices and limit exposure to loud environmental noise, including generators.
Edokwe called on teachers to incorporate hearing health into school curricula, observe early symptoms, and promptly report concerns to parents and caregivers.
He urged governments to enforce policies against environmental noise pollution and intensify awareness campaigns from rural communities to urban centres.
Communities, he added, could organize medical outreaches for early detection, while radio, television and social media can promote hearing care awareness.
The surgeon advised individuals experiencing hearing problems to inform healthcare providers to avoid prescriptions of medications potentially harmful to the ear.
