High frequency hearing loss

High frequency hearing loss is one of the most common types of hearing loss, and refers to the difficulty sufferers have in hearing high-pitched sounds (those higher than 2,000 Hertz).

While it can affect anyone, it usually affects older adults who are suffering from age-related hearing loss (presbycusis), as well as people who work in noisy environments (particularly if they’re frequently exposed to loud noises).

High frequency hearing loss means that you might have difficulty understanding speech, particularly when people talk quickly, as well as differentiating between different sounds (especially in loud areas or places with a lot of background noise).

You might also find it hard to hear:

• Alerts on your phone
• Doorbells
• Children’s voices
• Women’s voices
• Birdsong

While you can still hear conversations, you may find it hard to understand what’s being said, and difficulty hearing is the main symptom of high frequency hearing loss. 

As well as struggling to hear higher pitched sounds such as those outlined above, you might also find that you struggle to hear consonant sounds (particularly unvoiced consonants, like f, t, s, th and p) as these are spoken at a higher pitch than vowel sounds.

Because of this, you may find that:

• Speech is muffled
• You struggle to use the phone
• You have difficulty hearing the TV
• It’s hard to hear conversations in noisy environments

High frequency hearing loss happens when the hairs in your inner ear are damaged. These cells transmit sounds to the brain via the auditory nerve, and any loss or damage to these cells can impact this process.

It can affect people of all ages, and it can have a range of causes, including:

Ageing

Hearing loss is a natural part of ageing, and while it can be a gradual process that you often don’t notice, as you get older you may find it harder to hear conversations in noisy environments, or find yourself turning up the volume on the TV.

Family history

If members of your family have suffered from high frequency hearing loss, you may be genetically predisposed to the condition, so it’s always worth speaking to your relatives about any hearing loss.

Loud noises

Working in a noisy environment, or being exposed to loud noises for extended periods, can affect your hearing.

Diseases

Infections in the middle ear, such as otitis media, can cause a build-up of fluid that can result in temporary hearing loss. If the infection is severe, it can cause permanent damage to your middle ear or eardrum, resulting in high frequency hearing loss.
Ménière’s disease, an infection of the inner ear, can cause tinnitus and vertigo, as well as hearing loss, and can eventually lead to permanent hearing loss.

Tumours

Certain benign tumours can develop on your auditory nerve, causing pressure that can result in tinnitus, balance issues and hearing loss.

Medication

Some medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, some antibiotics and some medications used to treat cancer can harm the inner ear and auditory nerve, leading to high frequency hearing loss.

If you’re experiencing high frequency hearing loss -  or any type of hearing loss - it’s important to speak to your doctor in the first instance. They’ll be able to carry out a full examination and determine any underlying cause.

You can also speak to an audiologist. They’ll assess the extent of your hearing loss and suggest the best ways to manage it.

Initially, treatment may cover resolving any underlying cause of your high frequency hearing loss, such as curing the infection or changing your medication, and your doctor will be best placed to advise on this.

Where the loss is caused by ageing, genetic factors or exposure to noise, or where the initial cause has severely affected or damaged your middle or inner ear, hearing aids are the best course of treatment. You’ll need a hearing test to determine the type and extent of hearing loss you’re experiencing before being fitted for a hearing aid.

Your audiologist may recommend a hearing aid known as RITE (receiver in the ear), which is the best type of hearing aid for high frequency hearing loss. Part of the hearing aid sits in your ear canal and amplifies the pitches and frequencies you can’t hear. And because of the way it’s designed, it doesn’t interfere with or inadvertently amplify low frequency sounds.