A lot of Countries in Africa are overpopulated. Crowd and noise pollution work hand in hand in those kinds of places. However, the populace in those countries, unfortunately are actually used to the noise, and this has adversely affected their understanding of the negative effect of the noise around. 

Typical causes of noise pollution in most of these countries are: 

ELECTRICAL GENERATOR: 

Due to lack of stable electricity supply, most companies and residence rely solely on generators for power generation both at commercial and residential areas. These Generators are of different capacity and different noise level, some very loud and some mild, but mostly loud.  For instance, a house of about 10 flats, all running generator at the same time means that all Residents heard the noise of 10 Generators at the same time, thereby making hearing each a big problem, culminating in everybody having to speak aloud in order to communicate. Over time, such noise leaves people with blocked/affected ears at the end of the day. 

OVER POPULATED AREAS 

Due to the sizes and population of some Countries, they have so many over populated area with unbearable level of noise everywhere. Places like markets, city centers, resource areas, recreation centers, are mostly overcrowded and noisy, where everyone had to speak at the top of their voices. This makes speaking and hearing stressful and “dangerous”. 

SOUND SPEAKER NOISE 

Noise pollution from public address system is a very big problem with numerous negative impact on people around, especially at highly populated areas where churches, mosques and unglazed event venues are situated in the midst of residential areas. Also, noise from speakers by musical bands and DJs at events or social functions contribute to the problem, such loud noise leaves people’s ears with troublesome experiences for hours or and even days of reoccurrence. 

DANGER OF NOISE POLLUTION

All the above noise issues have an intense negative effect on your ears. So many people are already partially deaf due to the longtime of exposure to loud noise but this is still unknown to them, till they finally lose their hearing. 

According to research hearing loss is becoming alarming in Africa and preventive measures are not being taken in this regard. 

PREVENTION

I came across this a test online by echalk.co.uk. This helps you know your level of hearing by years, for example, you can be 20 years old and be hearing like a 70 year old person.  Such situation calls for urgent attention. 

Kindly click on the link below, to know your hearing age. 

https://www.echalk.co.uk/Science/biology/hearing/HowOldIsYourHearing/resource.html 

If your “hearing age” is as above your age, then you need to visit an ENT clinic for checkup  but if the difference is not much you can just take preventive measure like having ear plugs on at noisy areas or stay away from noise as much as possible. 

Please note that there are other medical causes of ear loss which were not mention above but we will discuss those some other time. 

Thank you.