Many people experience hearing loss at some time in their lives. As we age, hearing loss becomes more common, but changes in your hearing can occur at any stage in your life. If you have noticed a difference in your hearing, it is essential to get it checked by a hearing instrument specialist (HIS).
Getting your hearing checked by a HIS will help in two ways; firstly, the HIS will be able to establish the kind of hearing loss that you are experiencing. Secondly, the HIS will offer their professional advice on how your hearing can be improved.
There are several types of hearing loss. So, determining which one you are experiencing will help the HIS to find the most effective hearing aids for your needs. High-frequency hearing loss is very different from low-frequency hearing loss, so each is treated differently to deliver the best results for the individual. Here we will discuss low-frequency hearing loss and identify the common signs that show you are experiencing this type of hearing loss.
What is low-frequency hearing loss?
Low-frequency hearing loss is experienced as a reduced ability to hear low-frequency sounds. Low-frequency hearing loss is less common than a high-frequency hearing loss but is still experienced by many people.
Typically, people with low-frequency hearing loss cannot hear sounds that measure below 2,000 Hz. Low-frequency hearing loss is usually the result of hair cell damage in the inner ear. When working as they should, the inner ear hair cells receive sounds; these are then converted to signals which the auditory nerves transmit to the brain. When the inner ear hair cells are damaged, their ability to receive sounds is affected. This is often referred to as sensorineural hearing loss.
Thanks to modern technology, hearing aids can significantly improve low-frequency hearing loss. When you visit the HIS, they will assess your hearing and recommend the best hearing aid for your needs.
Signs of low-frequency hearing loss
If you have noticed a change in your hearing, this may be due to a low-frequency hearing loss. Here are some of the other signs to look out for which may indicate you have a low-frequency hearing loss.
Difficulty following group conversations
People with low-frequency hearing loss can generally follow a one to one conversation without any issues. However, group conversations can be harder to follow. Group conversations can be more challenging to hear as they create a more complex noise environment. A group conversation will typically include voices of different pitches and lots of people speaking at the same time, which makes it harder to distinguish between the different voices around you. It can make lower-pitched voices even more challenging to hear.
Harder to hear in noisy environments
Just as group conversations create a more complex listening environment, the same applies when in a noisy setting. The noise in settings such as restaurants and coffee shops can make it more difficult to hear even for people that don’t have hearing loss. Places such as bars, coffee shops or restaurants usually have lots of different noises happening at once. Music playing, people speaking and sounds from equipment such as coffee machines and cash registers mean that there is a wide variety of background noise to contend with in these settings.
With so much background noise all happening at once, it can be difficult for people with low-frequency hearing loss to filter out these competing sounds and focus on following a conversation.
Unable to hear bass sounds when listening to music
Have you noticed that it is harder for you to hear the bass sounds on music lately? Many people that have low-frequency hearing loss are unable to hear the lower bass sounds when listening to music. This is because these sounds have a frequency far below 2,000 Hz, which is the frequency that people with low-frequency hearing loss are often unable to hear.
If you have noticed changes in your hearing that have reduced your ability to hear bass sounds, follow conversations within a group or harder to hear in noisy environments, it is vital to get this checked out.
If you have noticed a reduction in your ability to hear and experience any of the signs of hearing loss, including low-frequency hearing loss, the Beck Hearing Aid Centre can help.
Get in touch with Beck Hearing Aid Centre today to schedule your consultation with a hearing instrument specialist at (519) 438-0492 to find out how we can help you to improve your hearing.
