1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,520 Speaker 1: You may or may not know, but hearing, as we know, 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: it's something that most of us take for granted, and well, 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: it is something that we all sort of take for granted, 4 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: I think, most days, but it is being thrust into 5 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: the spotlight with World Hearing Day happening this Sunday, the 6 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: third of March. Now joining me in the studio to 7 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: talk more about how well to prevent hearing loss and 8 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: the importance of maintaining healthy is is Territory Hearing audiologist 9 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: Sulomon Joseph, Good morning to you. 10 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 2: Good morning kitty. 11 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 3: It is a pleasure to be with you, and you 12 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 3: are not really an award winning journalist. You are a 13 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 3: transitor in Northern Territory and people love to hear your 14 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 3: perspective on any topic. 15 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: Oh, thank you, Thank you very much. That is very 16 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: nice to say. Sulomon. Tell me what exactly is the 17 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: key focus for Hearing Day World Hearing Day? 18 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 2: Do you know in. 19 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 3: Twenty twenty four the focus is let us make year 20 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 3: and hearing care a reality for all. 21 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 2: Right, that is a message, but. 22 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 3: In reality is very hard to pass on that message 23 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 3: and to implement hearing health for everyone. As you know, 24 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 3: in Australia, one in six Australians have significant hearing laws 25 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 3: and that number is going to go high in twenty fifty. 26 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 3: The prediction is one in four Australians will have significant 27 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 3: hearing laws. As you know, the aging population is one factor. 28 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 3: And exposure to very loud sound. As a broadcaster for 29 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 3: many years, you know the sound the impact of loud 30 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 3: sound on hearing yep, and the eighty five disibel or 31 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,639 Speaker 3: more a sound can be acredectrimental to our hearing. 32 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: You have spoken to me about that before, and every 33 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: time I think I've got to turn these headphones. 34 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 2: Down, I listen very loudly. 35 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: But is that the main reason why we're expected I 36 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: mean not for you know, not because of me listening 37 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: through my headphones. But what are the main reasons that 38 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,639 Speaker 1: we are expecting those numbers to grow by twenty fifty? 39 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 3: Aging population always a challenge because when we get older, 40 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 3: what happens is the inner part of the year in 41 00:01:58,800 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 3: our cochlear there are. 42 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 2: Vessels, tiny hair cels that degenerate. 43 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 3: So with that, what happens is we will have sensory 44 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,239 Speaker 3: neural hearing laws, and that is permanent hearing laws. Ke 45 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 3: when we talked our grandparents or parents when they are 46 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 3: in the seventies or eight year old, we realize is 47 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 3: that they are not hearing what we say one hundred 48 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 3: percent because there will be the high frequency laws. Mainly 49 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 3: we lose the high frequency first and then the mid 50 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 3: frequency and then the low frequency. So the problem with 51 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 3: the high frequency in a husband and wife relationship or 52 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 3: a partner relationship, what happens is the female sounds are 53 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 3: predominantly high frequency, and the male will have difficulty to 54 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 3: understand his partner that high frequency sounds. 55 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: So what you're saying is it sometimes men aren't lying 56 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: when I pretend that I can't hear us. 57 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 2: They are not lying. That is a fact. 58 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 3: And many women think that Okay, they have selective hearing. 59 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 3: He's not selective hearing. They are not actually hearing their 60 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 3: partner because of that high frequency sound of female. Like 61 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 3: a majority female will have high frequency on Yeah. 62 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: Right, that is incredibly interesting. I mean, what are some 63 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,239 Speaker 1: of the things that you sort of encounter on a 64 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: diet dye basis, particularly in a tropical place on the 65 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: Northern Territory. 66 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 3: Very good question, Katie, because a lot of people having 67 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 3: ear infections in Northern Territory because of our hot and 68 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 3: humid weather and many. 69 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 2: Trade is will have blocked years. 70 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 3: And the other problem a lot of children having ear 71 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 3: infections and I have brought timberedometer here. Timberometer is a 72 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 3: middlelier analyzer if anyone having blockage in their ear, and 73 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 3: audiologists can easily identify using tempanometry tests what is going 74 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 3: on in the middle part of. 75 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 2: Their ear if they have an ear infection or not. 76 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 3: Because the sensitivity and specificity of the tympanometer is eighty 77 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 3: five percent that is in medical standard. That is pretty 78 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 3: good and we can exactly tell okay, what is going on. 79 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 2: You need to see a do you need. 80 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 3: Antibiotics or that is up to the doctor to decide. 81 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 3: But the tim borometry midiar analyzer is a very good 82 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 3: effective method to find out any ear infection. And the 83 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 3: other thing we need to be aware that there are 84 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 3: a lot of people in Australia and everywhere in the 85 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 3: world they will have sudden hearing laws. 86 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 2: I did mention previous interviews. 87 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,479 Speaker 3: It's a clinical emergency and I did come across many 88 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 3: people and they delay the sudden hearing laws. 89 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 2: I can wake up to tomorrow morning with no hearing 90 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 2: in one year or in both years. Yes, that is 91 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 2: a clinical emergency. 92 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:42,840 Speaker 3: And if you have an appointment with a doctor, okay, ordiologist, 93 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 3: if you can see an ideologist immediately, that is fantastic. 94 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 3: And if you cannot find an audiologist, you straight away 95 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 3: go to the emergency department because you have only one 96 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 3: week time window opportunity. Within that time, the end specialist 97 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 3: will give strong steroid. 98 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 1: Bringing back to try and sort it. 99 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 3: Absolutely, there is no guarantee that you will get the 100 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 3: full hearing back, so at least we can try. If 101 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 3: you miss that one week time, no doctor, no medication 102 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 3: will be effective, so that will become a permanent hearing loss. 103 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 2: Wow. 104 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: So Solomon tell Us, I mean, do you encounter different 105 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 1: things here in the Northern Territory or different kinds of 106 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: ear issues to what you might encounter in other locations. 107 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 108 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 3: I used to travel to all the indigenous communities since 109 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 3: twenty sixteen to twenty twenty three, a beginning before I 110 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 3: start my audiology practice Tertory hearing a lot of children, 111 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 3: especially the community children, they have pussy years charging years 112 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 3: and that is a very unique to Northern Territory and 113 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:50,040 Speaker 3: especially as you know, in the indigenous communities, so they 114 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 3: are overclouding of that many people live in a house, 115 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 3: the hygien factor, so many other factors are contributing the 116 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,679 Speaker 3: ear problem. And the other thing is the east station 117 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 3: to many children, the small children where they are at 118 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 3: five or eight. Up to that age, the eas station 119 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 3: to that airate our middle part of the year that 120 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 3: is horizontal in shape for children, so they cannot airate 121 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 3: very well. When they, okay, are a bit more older 122 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 3: than ear infection, the possibility of ear infection is significantly reduced. 123 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 2: So children when they have. 124 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 3: Ability to speak well or any difficulty to understand their parents. 125 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 2: They need to see an audiologist. 126 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 3: They need to go to a doctor referral to an audiologist. 127 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 3: Or because I started my own practice, I give the 128 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 3: opportunity to the Territorians that you can contact me straight 129 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 3: away if you have any doubt and you can clarify 130 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 3: free of cost. And one nine can give my contact 131 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 3: number to our listeners contact because I graduated from University 132 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 3: of Quinston long back to thousand and six and seventeen 133 00:06:58,000 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 3: years in udiology. 134 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: Absolutely well, we can we can definitely pass that on. 135 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: But Slomon, I do want to ask you before I 136 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: let you go this morning. I mean, with it being 137 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: world hearing day, of course on Sunday. What are some 138 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: top tips you know for territories this morning, for looking 139 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: after there is to trying to prevent things like that 140 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: hearing loss. 141 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:24,559 Speaker 3: Absolutely, very good important question. Basically, whenever you have any 142 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 3: problem with eyears like it can be impacted wax or 143 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 3: blocked years, you need to see the right. 144 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 2: People at the right time. Okay. Hearing specialists are called audiologists. 145 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 3: They have two years master's degree from reputed to Australian universities. 146 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 2: So consult the concerned person. 147 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 3: Don't delay it, okay, As I said, the certain sensory 148 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 3: neural is an emergency situation, and don't delay it. Because 149 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 3: hearing is so important that it helps us to communicate 150 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 3: with our loud ones and the society at large, and 151 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 3: hearing good hearing is very important for our social and 152 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 3: emotional well being. 153 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 2: Many people forget that, Yeah, it really is. 154 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: I mean, do we need to do things as well, 155 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: like maybe not have our headphones up so loud and 156 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 1: those kind of practical things too. 157 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 3: Absolutely, absolutely be aware about the sound, okay, how much 158 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 3: sound you are inputting, and generally most of the smartphone 159 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 3: will have a warning, a red signal that okay, you 160 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 3: are putting it a ninety five disabel, so reduce it. 161 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 2: Okay. That is giving a warning to the people who 162 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 2: are listening to the music or whatever podcast. 163 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:34,439 Speaker 3: And the other thing is Territorians, they travel on a 164 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 3: small plane. I used to travel on small plane. Right, 165 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 3: they have to wear ear plug. The ear plug is 166 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 3: a mandatory thing. Okay, they have to the airline need 167 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 3: to provide yeah, free ear plug. So all Territorians who 168 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 3: are traveling on small plane, flying on small plane must 169 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 3: wear the ear plug. They okay, they have to scoose 170 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 3: it and put deep in the canal and that will 171 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 3: give you the reduction thirty to forty disibel reduction in noise. 172 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 3: I used to wear ear plug and ear muffed. Get right, Yeah, 173 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 3: be hearing especially I know the impact of what that 174 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 3: one to do disable? Okay, the one to disable. These 175 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 3: twin engine or single engine planes are too noisy. 176 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, so you got to make sure you look after 177 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: your ears well. Territory Hearing Audiologists. Salomon Joseph, I really 178 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 1: appreciate you coming in this morning, and as we know, 179 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: this Sunday, third of March, it is indeed World Hearing Day. 180 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining me this morning. 181 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 2: It's a will be a pleasure to talk to you. Okay, 182 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 2: thank you, Thanks so much.