High-Frequency Hearing Loss  High frequency hearing
loss is very common among seniors and at one time very
little could be done about it. Age related hearing loss usually happens gradually over time. Eventually it
becomes difficult to hear telephone conversations or pick out voices in a crowd.
Traditional analog hearing aids amplified all sounds so
while sounds were made louder, they were still out of balance. Today, thanks to newer digital hearing aids,
high frequency hearing loss can be more successfully managed.
High frequency sounds are the most difficult to hear anyway and when high-frequency hearing loss occurs, it can be very difficult to understand conversations. Generally, women's voices are higher and more difficult to understand than men's.
It becomes especially difficult to hear in noisy areas
or environments with a lot of background noise. Certain sounds such as "th" and "s" are higher pitched and more
difficult to distinguish.
So while the volume may be adequate, it is hard to
distinguish words with high-frequency hearing loss. In addition, words can sound mumbled, there may be ringing
in the ears, and some sounds can even be overly loud and bothersome.
When you experience hearing loss, it is recommended to undergo hearing testing by an audiologist to determine the exact type of problem you have. Some people have high-frequency hearing loss while others have problems with low frequencies. When your problem is identified, a hearing aid can be customized for your particular problem to help bring sounds back into balance. Customizing sounds is possible thanks to digital hearing aid technology. This works by capturing sounds and turning them into a digital signal. This signal is then analyzed against your hearing impairment and altered to deliver the optimum level of sound. This process allows the hearing aid to isolate and amplify high-frequency sounds without amplifying sounds of other frequencies. Conversations become more distinct even over the telephone or in the presence of background noise. Open fit hearing aids are especially useful for high-frequency hearing loss. These are designed to leave the ear canal partially open so low frequency and mid frequency sounds can enter the ear unaltered. Only high frequency sounds are captured and amplified. The end result is more normal hearing. Hearing aids are sometimes difficult to fit and get used to. It is recommended to work with an audiologist who represents several different brands rather than one who will steer you towards a particular brand. It is also important to get a hearing aid that comes with a trial period of at least thirty days because it may take at least that long to determine if you have the right match. High frequency hearing loss can be very frustrating. It is difficult to engage socially or even watch televisions. Turning up the volume on the TV doesn't help with high frequency hearing loss because the volume may be so loud it is annoying, but you still can't distinguish sounds well enough to follow spoken words. The right hearing aid can really make a difference because it will give you the confidence to stay active and maintain social contacts. You'll be able to hear the television and talk on the telephone. Being able to hear properly is important to living a full and active life for many seniors with high-frequency hearing loss. |
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