Introduction
Hearing is one of the main senses of human beings. Frequency is defined as a quantity or the number of vibrations made by a sound wave in one second. Frequency is different from the pitch as the pitch is to describe how loud the sound is. A normal human being has a hearing frequency ranging between 20 to 20,000 Hertz. Newborns and babies have a higher range than adults. Usually, the highest range of limits for hearing is nearly 15,000 to 17,000 Hz. Among other species, bats have a range of 200,000 Hz, which is almost ten times more than humans' normal limit.
High-frequency hearing loss is a condition that leads to issues with hearing high-pitched sounds. Some studies also show that damage to the hair-like structures that are present inside the ear can lead to a certain type of hearing loss.
This clinical condition can be developed in anyone, but the risk increases with aging. Even hearing a high range of sounds can lead to this. This article will explain this condition in detail and also how to prevent your ears.
Is High-Frequency Hearing Loss Permanent?
In many countries, the prevalence of this condition is more. Once the inner layers of hair are damaged, it is quite difficult to reverse the condition.
What Are the Types of Hearing Loss?
There are three types of hearing loss which are sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, or mixed hearing loss (a combination of the above two).
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Sensorineural - The sensorineural type is the most common and occurs when the nerve of the ear or auditory nerve or the hair cells that are present inside the ear are damaged. This type of hearing loss is permanent, but improvement can be seen by the usage of hearing aids or cochlear implants.
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Conductive Hearing Loss - This is the next type that is less common than the first one. In this type, there is a blockage or injury to the middle ear or structures outside the ear, which causes hearing impairment. It is a reversible type of hearing loss, usually by various surgical modalities.
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Mixed Hearing Loss - It consists of conductive pathology as well as injury to the nerve.
What Are the Symptoms of High-Frequency Hearing Loss?
A patient with high pitch hearing loss may have problems with hearing certain sounds like:
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Sounds of birds and animals.
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Voices of females and children.
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Notification sounds of phone or appliances.
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Doorbells.
Also, there may be problems with differentiating certain sounds if there is the presence of any other sound or noise in the background.
What Causes High-Frequency Hearing Loss?
As mentioned above, if the hair cells of the ear or the nerve are damaged, high-frequency hearing loss can be experienced. There are about 16,000 hair cells in the cochlea when a child is born, and detection of hearing problems is difficult unless and until 30 to 50 percent of hair cells are affected.
Following are some of the factors that may contribute to hearing loss:
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Aging - This type of hearing loss is commonly seen in adults ranging from 65 or above years. People who are above 75 years are more prone to such conditions.
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Damage to the Ear Due to Noise - Hearing loss can be either due to high-frequency sounds or extremely loud sounds. For example, frequent usage of earphones can lead to hearing loss which can be permanent.
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Infection of the Middle Ear - This type of infection can lead to a buildup of fluid and thus, cause temporary hearing loss. If a severe infection leads to certain complications, it can lead to permanent hearing loss.
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Tumors - Tumors are unwanted growth in the body that may or may not be cancerous. Acoustic neuromas can lead to compression of the auditory nerve and thus, may lead to tinnitus and hearing loss on the affected side.
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Genetics or Hereditary - Certain studies and clinical scenarios have shown that genes may also contribute to this condition.
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Medications or Prescription Drugs - Certain medications that can lead to hearing loss by affecting the nerve of the ear or the inner ear are called ototoxic. Some examples are NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cancer medications, and chemotherapeutic drugs, etc.
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Meniere’s disease - This condition affects the inner ear which leads to hearing loss that is fluctuating in nature, vertigo, and tinnitus. The causative factor is the accumulation of fluid in the inner ear due to viral infection, block in the ear, immune response, or hereditary. This condition usually affects one ear only.
How Can It Be Diagnosed?
If you face any difficulty in hearing, you should consult your physician. Your doctor will ask certain questions and then will do some physical and laboratory tests if required.
Audiogram and Hearing Test Chart:
An audiogram is used to check for the type of hearing loss. It is a graph that reveals the ability of a person to hear the softest sounds at different levels of pitches or frequencies. It is plotted on a graph. If the marks are closer to the top of the graph, it shows that the patient can hear the softest sounds. The mark on the graph and the level of it denotes the type and severity of hearing loss in the patient.
There are basically six degrees or levels of hearing loss or hearing ability which can be read through the chart or graph, and the levels are as follows:
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Normal hearing.
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Mild hearing loss.
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Moderate hearing loss.
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Moderately severe hearing loss.
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Severe hearing loss.
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Profound hearing loss.
Can Tinnitus Also Happen?
Tinnitus is a clinical symptom where there is continuous ringing or buzzing noise in the ears. Most of the time, hearing loss can occur along with tinnitus. It is an important fact that tinnitus can be a symptom depicting hearing loss, but it is never the cause of hearing loss.
How Can It Be Treated?
As told earlier, sensorineural hearing loss can be permanent, and this can affect the quality of life in patients. But, with improvements in technology, hearing aids can be beneficial in such situations. Also, now, hearing devices have bluetooth, which is synced to mobiles and tablets.
Hearing aids are small electronic devices that are worn in or behind the ear, and they increase the frequency of sounds or make them a little louder so that the patients with hearing loss can identify the sound and hear it. It is helpful in both noisy and silent scenarios.
How Can It Be Prevented?
As prevention is always better than cure, taking certain measures can prevent serious damage to hearing ability. Most importantly, it is better to avoid high-pitched sounds. Following are the ways to prevent hearing loss:
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Limit exposure to high or very loud noises.
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It is advisable to use earplugs while exposed to high-pitched sounds.
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Keep the sound to a minimum in phones.
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Take breaks while listening to the TV (television) or radio.
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If you face any problem with hearing or if you are a risk factor, it is better to get regular ear check ups done.
Conclusion:
Hearing loss can affect your life, and it can become permanent too. If managed or diagnosed early, the prognosis is good. If you face any change or difficulty in hearing, consult your physician or specialist to know more about the condition. You can get more details about the condition from a specialist online via online medical platforms.
