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Hearing loss in Thailand: Causes, prevention, treatment, and your health insurance
Some 360 million people suffer from disabling hearing loss worldwide, and that number will only rise as the global population ages. In fact, roughly one-third of elderly people aged 65 and above have severely diminished hearing; yet half of all conditions associated with hearing loss are avoidable through early prevention.
To shed some much-needed light on this topic, today’s article outlines the main causes and treatment options for diminished hearing in Thailand, and further explores prevention and whether health insurance plans typically cover costs associated with this condition.
What is hearing loss?
Hearing loss, or hearing impairment, occurs when one’s ability to hear is diminished. Someone who has hearing impairment might be able to hear certain sounds, or even nothing at all. Other common terms used to describe this condition include ‘deaf’, ‘deafness’, or ‘hard of hearing’. One of the main impacts of impaired hearing is on one’s ability to communicate with others verbally.
World Hearing Day
WHO’s 2018 World Hearing Day – which was commemorated earlier this year (March 3) – raised awareness on the importance of hearing care across the world. In particular, the health day drew attention to the below messages:
- An alarming USD 750 billion is lost globally as a result of unaddressed hearing impairment.
- Over 1 billion young people aged 12 – 35 years old are at risk of hearing loss due to recreational exposure to loud sounds (e.g. listening to loud music).
Primary causes of hearing impairment
There are a myriad of different reasons why an individual might suffer from impaired hearing, the most common of which include age and noise.
Noise
Prolonged and repeated exposure to loud noise can harm our hearing. Sources of loud noise can come in many forms; from ear-numbingly loud music at concerts and nightclubs, to the sound of noisy machinery at the workplace.
Ageing
Hearing impairment is a natural consequence of ageing. Caused by the degeneration of sensory cells, our hearing generally worsens in our 30s and 40s. And, when we reach 80 years old and beyond, more than half of us will have significant hearing loss.
Other causes
There are, of course, many other factors that can cause hearing impairment. These include:
- Wax/foreign bodies blocking the ear canal (this can typically be treated fairly easily)
- Head/ear injury
- Use of certain medications (e.g. antibiotics) can lead to ear damage
- Collection of fluid in the ear
- Chronic ear infections
- Infectious diseases (e.g. measles) can also lead to impaired hearing – many of these diseases can, however, be prevented via routine vaccinations early on in childhood
- Infections during pregnancy
- Lack of oxygen at time of birth
- And more
Preventing hearing loss
Diminished hearing can’t always be prevented, but there are steps we can take to limit our exposure to loud noise. For example, care should be taken to:
- Avoid loud noise: The most important thing you can do to prevent hearing impairment is to simply to avoid loud noise as much as you can. Generally speaking, a noise is likely too loud if it causes you to feel pain in your ears, you feel a ‘ringing’ sensation in your ear after hearing the sound, you have to speak up so other people can hear you, and/or you can’t hear what other people around you are saying.
- Try not to blast music through earphones or headphones: When listening to music, avoid turning the volume up to more than 60 percent of the maximum volume.
- Protect your ears at loud events: When you’re at a concert, gig, or other loud event, try to walk away from loud speakers, and consider wearing ear plugs if possible.
Treatment
Hearing impairment can be treated, but hearing cannot be restored. The majority of people suffering from this condition can benefit from early detection and prevention (i.e. via regular screenings), which is the most important factor in reducing its impact before loss of hearing worsens.
People with impaired hearing usually manage their condition with the help of hearing aids, which deliver amplified sounds from the eardrum and middle ear to the inner ear/cochlea.
Depending on the condition, hearing loss can also be treated with cochlear implants, a.k.a. electronic devices that are surgically implanted inside patients with moderate to profoundly impaired hearing in the goal of replacing the function of their damaged inner ear. There are many world-class, private facilities that offer this type of surgery in Thailand, such as Samitivej Hospital and Chaophya Hospital.
While the cost of cochlear implant surgery is typically lower in Thailand vis-a-vis higher cost countries like the US and Hong Kong, the overall expense can still add up; especially when you factor in not only the surgery and doctors fees, but also consultation, follow-up, after care, and other miscellaneous expenses. As such, it’s worth investigating whether your current health insurance plan covers hearing loss related treatments.
Does my health insurance plan cover hearing related treatments?
To check whether your health insurance plan covers such treatments, it’s first important to read your policy terms and conditions, and/or ask your insurer/broker. Less comprehensive medical insurance plans will typically exclude cover for the investigation and treatment of hearing loss, as well as costs associated with hearing aids.
Another thing to consider here is whether you have outpatient coverage, i.e. does your plan cover care that does not involve hospitalization? This is because hearing related treatments are often classed as outpatient procedures, so if you have inpatient-only health insurance, all outpatient hearing treatments will, in most cases, not be covered.
Finally, health insurance plans will generally exclude pre-existing conditions (unless otherwise stated/negotiated). This particular exclusion dictates that the plan will not provide any benefits for illnesses, injuries, or conditions that occured before the insured’s policy start date. To ensure that your insurance covers any potential hearing loss that may develop in the future, it is thus a good idea to secure your health plan as early as possible.
Contact Pacific Prime Thailand today
Searching for health insurance coverage that covers impaired hearing in Thailand can be hard, especially if you’re doing it alone without the help of an expert broker like Pacific Prime Thailand. To discover the most ideal medical insurance options to cover hearing related treatments in Thailand and/or internationally, be sure to contact our advisors today. As Thailand’s leading insurance broker, we’re committed to answering all of your questions, and are on hand to give you a complimentary quote.
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