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Hearing is a Non-Renewable Resource


woman jogger putting her earbuds in; hearing and tinnitus concept

At the age of just 24, Jack Wershler suddenly woke up with tinnitus, and it's been with him ever since. He had his hearing checked and was diagnosed with minor hearing loss which he now realizes is from years of listening to loud music in cars and concerts and on ipods. 

Like most of us, he'd simply taken his hearing for granted.

He wrote an article about his experience, which does not seem to be available online anymore. However, its lesson should not be lost. 

Education on tinnitus should start (in an age-appropriate manner) at the elementary level. Although not everyone who has the condition got it through noise-induced damage, certainly a large majority of tinnitus sufferers do -- and they just didn't know any better.

Noise-induced tinnitus is avoidable, and that's what we need to teach our children. Musician Tony Di Gregorio, who has tinnitus, was quoted in the article as saying that while it can be frustrating talking to people about tinnitus, he is trying to bring awareness in his own circle, and for the kids he teaches guitar to.

“I have to live with this regret, you know. It’s an odd disability, in a way, because it’s not overt, its not something people notice,” he says. “Most people don’t even know the word, let alone the sensation. I guess I’ve taken for granted what I shouldn’t have. I know that I will never have quiet moments. I’ve kind of been robbed of silence.”



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