High Frequency Hearing Loss

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High Frequency Hearing Loss

High frequency hearing loss is extremely common after around age 65. Of the various elderly issues one must deal with during the aging process, this one presents particular challenges. Hearing loss due to aging is called presbycusis and can impact the ability to hear the high-frequency sounds that involve speech and other subtle noises. It usually comes on gradually. You can hear, sort of, but yet you can’t. You can hear only certain frequencies, and the others are shut out. At the same time, when there is background noise present, then almost everything seems garbled. These are common hearing loss symptoms.

diagram, sound waves

Sound is measured in decibels. Many elderly hearing-loss patients say they cannot distinguish certain levels of voices or sounds. A typical conversation is 60 decibels, so that range of sound is missing for these patients. It is common, for instance, to be unable to hear a woman’s soft voice or children’s voices, as compared to a deep male voice. Or ranges of music and subtle noises. Low tones rather than high pitches can be heard. Patients complain that people sound like they are mumbling.

photo, woman's ear

This type of hearing loss can be due to aging, but also to constant exposure to loud noise. It's called Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, or decibel hearing loss. Sounds over 85 decibels are especially dangerous. This may have occurred when the elderly person was younger, and gradually (sometimes suddenly)it catches up. Some causes may have been loud machinery, power tools, high-pitched sounds, loud gun shots (which can be 120 to 190 decibels), and music. Professional musicians often experience high frequency hearing loss. Damage from any repetitive loud noise may have damaged the ability to hear certain frequencies, called hertz (Hz).

When my father was in his late 80s, he experienced sudden hearing loss in one ear, and 50% hearing loss in the other, and a major problem with inability to hear high frequencies. The result was inability to hear many voices including on TV, radio, and in music. Hearing tests showed he was unable to hear many consonants as well, which is typical. He was very lucky that, when he lost much of his vision as well, the books-on-tape machine that he was given through the state had a lever to adjust frequency. So he was able to hear many narrators (especially if they were male, with no accent). Also, his audiologist recommended infrared TV earphones that hook up to his huge-screen TV, which allowed him to hear some programs. photo, hearing aid

An adjustable digital hearing aid has helped somewhat with his high frequency hearing loss; other conventional hearing aids did not. With a digital hearing aid he is able to block out some background noise and feedback. Ear specialists often recommend digital hearing aids for high frequency problems. They can be individually programmed to adjust to each person’s frequency issues. Conventional hearing aids may be adjusted up enough to hear some high frequencies, but at the same time, all other sounds can also sound terribly loud.

High frequency hearing loss can also be accompanied by tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and vertigo (dizziness). With all of these factors at play, it is common for the hearing impaired to become isolated and even depressed, missing out on many important and enjoyable parts of life. Entertainment and spending one’s hours in an interesting way, is challenging, especially since many elderly also experience vision loss too.

I spent many weeks finding solutions for my Dad in order to avoid boredom and depression. Especially since he also has serious vision loss. He can hear one-on-one if I speak loudly into his "good ear." But he doesn't like to socialize with others -- it's too stressful. He now has a nice routine of exercising twice daily including taking a walk, three nutritious meals and two healthy snacks, listening to certain music CDs with earphones, listening to his books on tape, and watching a little TV with his infrared earphones. And a nap. At least twice a week I eat a meal with him, and frequently bring him nutritious snacks to try. Twice weekly we go to the library in his building and I read him articles of interest in the newspaper. And once a week we sit out on the patio or in the party room and have a beer. We regularly have popcorn time -- he can somehow hear the popcorn pop and his face lights up. I also read to him nightly from a good book, which is great fun for both of us. There are solutions – and an excellent audiologist is a great help.

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