One of the indicators of high-frequency hearing loss is the inability to hear women’s and children’s voice clearly. Men’s voices generally fall into the frequency range of 85 to 180 Hz, while ladies’ and children’s voices have a frequency range of 165 to 255 Hz. On top of that, the volume of women’s and children’s voice are often less audible because they speak more quietly that men. By making an appointment with one of our hearing specialists you can find out for sure what the nature of the problem is, and how to best treat it.
High-frequency hearing loss is the most common among all forms of hearing loss. There are many possible causes; among the possibilities are aging, exposure to loud noises, certain diseases and certain drugs. But due to advances made in hearing aid technology, high-frequency hearing loss can be effectively treated.
One effective option involves the fitting of digital hearing aids, whose sophisticated electronics can be programmed to respond differently to sounds at different frequencies. For people with high-frequency hearing loss, the digital hearing aid raises the volume of high-frequency (high-pitched) sounds more than it raises the volume of the lower-frequency (low-pitched) sounds. Open-fit hearing aids provide another treatment option, because their design leaves the ear canal open so that low- and mid-frequency sounds enter the ear normally, and only the high-frequency sounds are amplified by the aid. A third option for very severe cases of high-frequency hearing loss is a cochlear implant. This is a more expensive solution because the implantation procedure requires minor surgery, but it can be effective in the treatment of conditions such as nerve deafness and industrial deafness.
Whatever your particular hearing problem may be, however, the first step to understanding and treating it is to have an examination by a hearing professional. Some cases of high-frequency hearing loss, for example, have proven to be caused by nothing more than a buildup of ear wax, which is easily treated, without the need for any type of hearing aid. So rather than worry about why you are having trouble hearing women’s and children’s voices, do something about it by scheduling an appointment with a trained hearing specialist.