Causes of Low Frequency Hearing Loss
Majority of the cases of hearing loss involve a similar pattern in which the high frequencies are no longer heard. High frequency hearing loss is the common form of hearing loss, and you most likely will lose the ability to hear the highest frequencies as you age. For instance, many people in their twenties cannot hear frequencies above 18khz. However, some people are the opposite—they lose hearing of the low frequencies. Low frequency hearing loss is uncommon because its causes are uncommon too.
One of the common causes of low frequency hearing loss is Meniere’s disease, which is due to an abnormality in the membrane of the inner ear. Low frequency hearing loss is accompanied by tinnitus and vertigo which are all experienced in episodes or attacks. People with meniere’s disease are more troubled with the vertigo than the fluctuating hearing loss.
Low frequency hearing loss is sometimes due to genetic defects, which run in the family. This hearing impairment begins early in a person’s life. Children with the defective gene can acquire this condition before they even learn to hone their language skills.
Bacterial and viral infections can also lead to this type of hearing loss. Chicken pox and measles are some of these conditions, although incidence of hearing loss due to these ailments is low.
People with low frequency hearing loss may not understand speech properly and may find thunder, engine noise, and machinery roar difficult to hear or practically inaudible.
Hearing aids are generally designed for people with high frequency hearing loss, and audiologists find it difficult to adjust hearing aids to fit someone who cannot hear low frequencies.
