10 things about hearing you probably didn’t know
The world of hearing is complex and fascinating; our hearing is a sensitive, fascinating sensory organ. We’d like to give you a little insight and share 10 exciting and sometimes unbelievable facts about hearing, the sense of hearing and hearing loss that you probably didn’t know.
Key Takeaways
The question of which gender hears better has long been a subject of research. And surely of interest to you too. So here is the answer: in fact, it is women who hear better. Several scientific studies have shown that men are more frequently affected by hearing problems or hearing loss. Furthermore, hearing ability declines more rapidly in men than in women between the ages of 30 and 50. Various factors are thought to be responsible for this. These include a healthy lifestyle, which is more common among women; noisy working environments, to which men are more frequently exposed; and female hormones, which are believed to have a positive effect on hearing.
2. There are 1 billion people worldwide with hearing loss
In 2021, the World Health Organisation (WHO) published the findings of its “World Report on Hearing”, the first global study on hearing loss. In it, the organisation highlighted that more than 1.5 billion people currently suffer from some degree of hearing loss. According to the WHO, this figure could rise to 2.5 billion by 2050. Furthermore, the organisation estimates that more than 400 million people, including 34 million children, live with a hearing impairment that affects their health and quality of life.
3. There is a ‘World Hearing Day’
Hearing loss can affect virtually anyone. Unfortunately, most people still know very little about it.
To bring this important issue more into the public eye, World Hearing Day was launched by the WHO in 2007. The campaign day has since taken place once a year, always on 3 March, and offers anyone interested the opportunity to find out more about the topic and seek help.
4. Sign language has dialects
When a Bavarian and someone from East Frisia have a conversation, it can happen that one does not understand what the other is saying. The obvious reason for this is the different dialects or regional linguistic customs in Germany. Deaf people face the same problem, by the way, because just as in spoken language, there are also regional differences in German Sign Language (DGS). Certain signs can have different meanings or be performed differently depending on the region.
5. Tinnitus is not an illness
Contrary to what many people assume, tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom in which sufferers perceive sounds, so-called phantom sounds. The reasons for this can vary greatly, for example age, excessive noise exposure or illness.
And did you know that people with tinnitus don’t always hear a “whistling” sound? The noises in the ears range from buzzing and hissing to ringing, clicking or even the perception of music.
6. Earwax is brilliant
Many people find earwax disgusting. Yet cerumen, as it is known in medical terms, actually has many great properties. As we chew and speak, earwax is transported out of our ear, taking dirt and bacteria with it. In this way, our ears essentially clean themselves. Furthermore, earwax keeps our ear canal supple and prevents the skin inside the ear from drying out.
7. There is a link between hearing loss and dementia
Hearing loss can have various psychological and health consequences. Among other things, it is thought that hearing loss also leads to changes in the brain. The reasons for this are believed to be the concentration and effort that those affected must exert in order not to miss information. This constant strain is detrimental to other brain functions. For example, it increases the risk of developing dementia.
8. We all make use of the cocktail party effect
Anyone who has ever been to a party knows this: music, laughter and lots of conversation create a huge amount of background noise. Yet we are still able to focus on what the person we are talking to is saying.
Our hearing and our brain are therefore able to focus on specific sounds whilst filtering out background noise. This ability is also known as the “cocktail party effect”.
9. Sign language as a first language
More than 90 per cent of children of deaf parents can hear themselves. But as we learn to speak primarily from our parents, these children often learn sign language as their first language and spoken language only later.
Conversely, hearing parents who have a deaf child must quickly learn sign language in order to communicate with and support their child.
10. TV amplifiers with speech optimisation help you understand the television again
Technological progress has brought us many great achievements in recent years. As a result, people with hearing difficulties now benefit from a range of technical aids such as hearing aids, special telephones for the hard of hearing and, not least, TV hearing amplifiers such as the OSKAR from faller audio. Unlike standard TV speakers, the OSKAR features special speech optimisation that amplifies speech on the television and reduces background noise.