When you visit an audiologist for a hearing test, one of the things that he or she evaluates is your ability to hear clearly across a range of frequencies. If your testing shows a problem hearing sounds at higher frequency ranges, you may be diagnosed with high frequency hearing problems. Here is a look at the basics of this type of hearing loss and what you can do to deal with it.
Why Does it Matter?
Any time you struggle to hear a specific frequency, it can make it difficult to hold a normal conversation. The high audio frequency range is the one that carries the letter sounds of consonants such as h, s and f. With hearing loss in this frequency range, these letter sounds are difficult to hear and may make conversation a struggle.
For kids with early hearing loss in these frequency ranges, it can make their early education difficult. Kids with hearing losses in the high frequency range may have trouble with identifying certain sounds in class, which can lead to confusion, missed lesson information and poor grades.
What Causes It?
Physical trauma to your ear is one of the most common sources of hearing loss of all kinds, including high frequency issues. Repeated exposure to excessively loud noises without adequate ear protection is another common cause. For kids, loud music delivered through headphones or ear buds can be particularly damaging, because these things direct sound straight into the ear. Additionally, things such as aging and certain medications may also contribute to the problem.
How Can You Treat it?
If you're diagnosed with hearing loss across the higher frequencies, you're going to need to work with an audiologist to find the best treatment plan. Some digital hearing aids have the capacity to adjust specific frequencies of sound through a process that's known as frequency transposition.
Through this process, the higher frequency sounds are adjusted through the hearing aid so that they are presented to your ear at a lower frequency that is easier for you to hear. Other hearing aids work through compressing the sounds to create an alteration in the frequency. Your audiologist will help you fine tune your hearing aids to ensure that you are getting the maximum benefit.
It can be difficult to deal with hearing loss of this type, because you'll be able to hear other sounds without a problem and may not always be aware that you're missing certain frequencies of sound. A routine hearing screen can help you catch this type of deterioration in its early stages to potentially save you the struggle of significant hearing loss without the support of a hearing aid.
For more advice and a thorough hearing screen, places like Abingdon Falls Plaza Hearing Center can help.
Share20 May 2015
When was the last time that you took your kids in for an eye exam? Did you realize that your kids' school performance can be impacted by their ability to see clearly? Children are not great at communicating difficulties seeing the board or letting adults know when things begin to appear a little bit blurry. Did you know that there are eye problems that your child could have that can only be diagnosed through an exam at your optometrist's office? Learn all about pediatric eye care and what problems you could run into if you neglect to take your child in for regular eye exams.