Understanding high-frequency hearing loss

One of the most common types of hearing loss is known as high-frequency hearing loss. This means high-pitched sounds are harder to hear. It can affect anyone of any age, but it's more common in older adults with age-related hearing loss, as well as people exposed to loud noises. 

Symptoms of high-frequency hearing loss

When listening to people speak, you may struggle to hear certain consonants (such as s, h or f), which are spoken at a higher pitch. As a result, speech may sound muffled, especially when you're using the telephone, watching television, or in noisy situations. People with this type of hearing loss often say they feel like they can hear, but not understand. You also may find it harder to hear women's and children's voices, as well as the sound of birds singing or devices beeping. Background noise only worsens this effect.

Diagnosing high-frequency hearing loss

Diagnosis of high-frequency hearing loss is made after a hearing test in a sound-treated booth at a hearing clinic. A hearing instrument specialist or audiologist usually will conduct the test. The results are plotted on an audiogram. If a person has high-frequency hearing loss, your audiogram will show a slope to the right, indicating a person has trouble hearing frequencies between 2,000 and 8,000 Hz.

Your hearing health specialist may also perform a speech-in-noise (SIN) test to help determine your ability to hear in noisy environments. 

A person may have mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe or profound hearing loss. In the example below, the person has moderately severe high-frequency hearing loss that is slightly worse in the right ear:

Why do I have high-frequency hearing loss?

High-frequency hearing loss occurs when the tiny hair-like sensory hearing cells in your cochlea (inner ear) are damaged. These hair cells, known as stereocilia, are responsible for translating the sounds your ears collect into electrical impulses, which your brain eventually interprets as recognizable sound. Learn more about how we hear.

Causes of high-frequency hearing loss

People of all ages can be affected by high-frequency hearing loss—and the reasons causing it are just as varied.

Getting older

Age-related hearing loss is called presbycusis (prez-be-cue-sis). It occurs very gradually and you may not even notice it, until it's advanced. One of the first signs is difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments.

Noise

Millions of Americans have hearing damage due to noise-induced hearing loss. The damage can occur as the result of a one-time, loud exposure to noise, such as a gunshot or explosion, or can occur over time with constant exposure to noise louder than 85 decibels.

Genetics

Check your family history. If your relatives developed high-frequency hearing loss, you may be genetically predisposed to developing it as well.

Medications 

Some types of drugs are ototoxic, meaning they are harmful to your hearing health. Some of the more common ototoxic drugs include salicylates (aspirin) in large quantities, drugs used in chemotherapy treatments and aminoglycosides, a class of antibiotics.

Diseases

Meniere’s disease, which affects the inner ear, often occurs between the ages of 30-50 and may include fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo or intense dizziness. In severe cases, though, it typically causes low-frequency hearing loss.

Treatment options for high-frequency hearing loss

High-frequency hearing loss is usually irreversible.

Typically, the best type of hearing aid for high-frequency hearing loss is what’s known as a receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) with a dome that sits in the ear canal. This style has an open fit so it doesn't muffle the low-frequency sounds that you still hear naturally. It can be programmed to amplify only the frequencies you struggle to hear.

While some people want to wear devices that are invisible (known as “invisible-in-the-canal” or “completely in the canal” hearing aids), they often don’t work well for this type of hearing loss, because they block low-frequency sounds.

For any hearing aids, keep in mind it may take time to get used to them, especially if you have had untreated hearing loss for a long time.

More: Hearing aid users share the surprising sounds they can now hear

Health risks of hearing loss

It's important to address high-frequency hearing loss as its effects extend far beyond struggling to hear. When children have high-frequency hearing loss, it can impede speech and language development, affecting their ability to excel in school.

In older adults, untreated hearing loss is associated with a higher risk of dementia, social isolation, depression and injury-causing falls. The good news? Hearing aids help with these problems.

Preventing high-frequency hearing loss

High-frequency hearing loss isn’t reversible, but in some cases, it is preventable. One of the best prevention techniques is to protect your hearing against exposure to noise–especially noise louder than 85 decibels. Keep the volume turned down on your personal electronic devices and wear hearing protection like earplugs whenever you anticipate being in a noisy environment, such as at the shooting range, when riding snowmobiles, or when attending a live concert or sporting event.

Inexpensive ear plugs are available at the local drugstore for occasional use. If you regularly engage in very noisy hobbies, consider investing in specialized hearing protection such as noise-cancelling headphones or custom-made earmolds, which can be purchased through many hearing healthcare professionals.

Worried you have hearing loss?

If you suspect you have hearing loss, use our online directory of consumer-reviewed hearing clinics to find hearing aid centers near you and make an appointment to get your hearing tested. Research indicates most hearing aid wearers are satisfied with their hearing devices and enjoy a richer quality of life than those who decide not to seek treatment.