Why are women and children sometimes more challenging to hear than men? Perhaps you have noticed that some men claim they are unable to hear their wives speaking when they are detailing tasks to be done. That’s a joke, but it is rather common for individuals to struggle to hear the voices of women and children. Let’s discover the reasons behind this and discuss possible solutions.
Exploring the impacts of hearing loss at high frequencies
Females and young people often have voices that are higher in pitch, and this can impact how clearly they are able to communicate for individuals with trouble hearing high frequencies. It is the most prevalent kind of hearing loss.
A person might notice they can pick up on faint noises, yet struggle to hear what their kids or grandkids are saying to them. The normal frequency range for women is between 165 and 255 Hz, while for men it is between 85 and 180 Hz.
Difficulty in hearing specific consonants in speech, such as t, th, ch, soft c, s, sh, f, and k, due to high-frequency hearing loss can lead to unclear speech.
Here are a number of other sounds that might be hard to detect or hear clearly.
- Birds chirping
- Alarms
- Whistling
- High-pitched musical instruments like a flute
What are the underlying factors that contribute to hearing loss at higher sound pitches?
This problem is often part of age-related hearing loss. Moreover, damage to the tiny, hair-like sensory cells located in the inner ear can result in increased trouble in perceiving high-frequency sounds.
Prolonged exposure to loud sounds, such as those encountered at concerts or in noisy workplaces or surroundings, can also contribute to the issue. Additional factors that contribute to risk include heredity, specific medicines including aspirin, chemotherapy medications, and antibiotics. Cardiovascular disease is also connected.
High-frequency hearing loss in children may impede the development of their speech and language skills. For older people, it can include the risk of dementia, depression, and injury, causing falls.
Treatments for high-frequency hearing loss
There is no cure for high-frequency hearing loss, but acquiring hearing aids helps boost high-pitched sounds, making them clearer and crisper. An audiologist can program your hearing aids to meet your specific requirements.
Attending a business meeting, using the phone, having meals, or chatting with your grandchild can be enhanced. Most contemporary hearing devices can stream to your mobile phone and come outfitted with directional microphones for accurate sound customization. Your wife will be pleased as an added advantage.
Schedule an appointment if you think you have high-frequency hearing loss.