Day dedicated to hearing

Open your ears on World Hearing Day

For many Carinthians, the current deterioration of their hearing is still a taboo subject. In addition to the ageing process, factors such as external influences, e.g. the noise level in bars or discos through to your own headphones, are also decisive.

For this reason, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the "World Hearing Day". This is an appeal to the public to have their hearing checked regularly. To make the date - March 3 - easier to remember, the date should resemble two ears. This world day was first recorded in 2007 at the "First International Conference on the Prevention and Rehabilitation of Hearing Loss" in Beijing.

A recent survey by Neuroth revealed that one in five Austrians - around 120,000 of them Carinthians - is affected by hearing loss. The number of unreported cases is likely to be much higher.

A further survey showed that just as many younger people are affected. More than four out of ten respondents only noticed that they had poor hearing in everyday life - for example in conversations with friends or at work. Hearing aids could help them to perceive their surroundings. So don't hesitate to buy one!

Headphones and road traffic as sources of noise
But what puts strain on our ears? Headphones and road traffic are the main sources of noise. In Austria, one in four inhabitants - around 2.1 million people - are exposed to too much traffic noise. Cars are also the number one source of noise in Carinthia. Younger people between the ages of twelve and 34 in particular are also exposed to additional noise pollution: 23 percent listen to music with headphones every day - and this is usually far too loud. And 48 percent are exposed to too many decibels in bars or clubs.