Peter studied hearing aid fitting at the world headquarters of Starkey Labs. He was able to have hands on training with the company’s founder, Bill Austin. He has also undergone advanced training in the smallest, nearly invisible style hearing aids, and has expanded his education by traveling to Denmark to learn directly from European hearing aid manufacturers. He continues to attend conferences and training seminars to stay current on the rapidly evolving world of hearing aid technology.
Latest posts by Peter Lucier, HIS (see all)
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Do you ever hear the people in your life talking about sounds you just don’t hear? It may be the sound of an oven timer, or the doorbell ringing. These are sounds which help us navigate the day safely and alert us to action. Many alarms operate in higher frequencies however, many people, particularly those with high frequency hearing loss commonly miss these warnings. In fact, research shows the 3,100 Hz higher frequency tones commonly used in smoke alarms are not effective at waking people with hearing impairments and hearing loss. In fact, of the 1 in 8 people in the US who suffer from hearing loss in both ears, most of the loss is due to either old age (presbycusis) or exposure to loud noises. Both these causes of damage create high frequency hearing loss.
Understanding High-Frequency Hearing Loss
High-frequency hearing loss affects the higher ranges of your hearing. This means sounds which are pitched high are more difficult to detect. Higher pitched voices such as small children will be more difficult to hear. People are diagnosed with high frequency hearing loss if they are unable to hear sounds between 2,000 Hz and 8,000 Hz, which is measured on an audiogram. An audiogram is test which measures the lowest and highest threshold of sound your ears can detect.
Symptoms of High Frequency Hearing Loss
If you have high frequency hearing loss, lower voices may be easier to hear and deeper sounds while high pitches seem just out of range. This can make conversation difficult to follow. You can hear the words but your brain struggles to make sense of them as certain high frequency consonants are lost from words such as “f”,”h” and “s”. It hard to understand just what a wide range of speech sounds occupy high frequencies, Speech often sounds slurred or muffled, especially when speaking over the telephone.
The Effect of High Frequency Hearing Loss
The impact of this for older adults if far reaching. Struggling to fill in blanks in sound forces your brain to strain and can lead to frustration and exhaustion from just a casual social interaction. It’s all too common for older adults with high frequency age related hearing loss to withdrawal from regular social interaction and choose to opt out of big gatherings such as family reunions and group celebrations. This has an increased impact for older adults who already have many factors which increase the likeliness of social isolation such as retirement, the loss of a partner and mobility issues. It’s important for older adults to stay social, because it encourages constant cognitive challenges keeping the mind spry and engaging connection which can boost mood and give people a sense of belonging.
As cognitive resources are stretched thin, and social isolation becomes more extreme, you have less focus to put towards other things. For instance, multitasking becomes a challenge and cognitive decline is more likely. Studies show that even a mild untreated hearing loss can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia by 50%!
Strategies to Prevent High-Frequency Hearing Loss
Age related hearing loss also known as presbycusis is one of the most common causes of high frequency hearing loss. While hearing loss is normal as we age it is important to take health measures now to prevent it from becoming worse early on. For instance, for those of us rare enough to live to be 100 years old, there is a 100% chance you will have some hearing loss. However, one in three people over 65 have hearing loss and half of those 75 and older. Health measures to protect hearing include eating a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins, regular exercise and protecting your hearing from loud sounds. Our entire health is connected, so monitoring and keeping all your health issues addressed and under control can ensure that you will have a healthy supply of blood delivered to the ears where tiny cells send audio signals to the brain.
Treating Hearing Loss
Age related hearing loss is irreversible, but it can be treated, most commonly with hearing aids. These tiny electronic devices amplify the frequencies you struggle with, allowing you to hear a doorbell, an alarm, or a phone. Conversations which used to cause anxiety can start to become easier to follow again and over time you can start to find yourself engaged again in the life you love. The first step is to schedule a hearing exam. Schedule yours with us today!