If you’re able to hear men’s voices more easily than women’s or kid’s voices, it might suggest that you have suffered some high-frequency hearing loss. The voices of most women and children fall into a higher frequency range – generally 165 to 255 Hertz – while male voices are typically lower frequency at 85 to 180 Hz. Another factor that can make women’s and children’s voices more difficult to hear is that they are generally softer than men’s voices. Although you may suspect that you have suffered a high-frequency hearing loss because you are having trouble hearing these voices, the only way to know for certain is to make an appointment for an exam.
High-frequency hearing loss is the most common among all forms of hearing loss. There are many possible causes; among the possibilities are aging, exposure to loud noises, certain diseases and certain drugs. But due to advances made in hearing aid technology, high-frequency hearing loss can be effectively treated.
Digital hearing aids are programmable to offer different levels of sound amplification and different frequencies. For a person suffering from high-frequency hearing loss, for example, a technician could program the digital hearing aid to raise the volume of high-pitched sounds, while not raising the volume of low-pitched sounds as much. Another treatment option is the use of open-fit hearing aids, which leave your ear canal open or partially open, so that low-frequency and mid-frequency sounds enter the ear normally, and only the high-frequency sounds are amplified. A third option for very severe cases of high-frequency hearing loss is a cochlear implant. An implant is a much more expensive and invasive option requiring minor surgery, but it may be the best option in cases of nerve deafness or extreme industrial deafness.
Whatever your particular hearing problem may be, however, the first step to understanding and treating it is to have an examination by a hearing professional. In some cases, for example, high-frequency hearing loss has been caused by nothing more than a buildup of ear wax, which can be cleared up without the need for any type of hearing aid. So the best “first step” in dealing with your hearing problem is to make an appointment and allow us to determine the real nature of the problem.