There are many different causes of low-frequency hearing loss, including Meniere’s disease and genetic syndromes.
Treatment often involves hearing aids or addressing the root cause, or both of these approaches.
How you hear is a complex, precise phenomenon.
Verywell / JR Bee
Basically, your outer ear “catches” sound waves, which are funneled through your ear canal.
There is a range of low-frequency hearing loss.
Others have a more severe or profound hearing loss of low-frequency sounds.
Sensorineural Low-Frequency Hearing Loss
Low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss is associated with Meniere’s disease.
Other potential causes include various genetic syndromes, low cerebrospinal fluid pressure, and possibly aging or viral infections.
Meniere’s Disease
Meniere’s diseasedevelops as a result of fluid pressure buildup within the inner ear.
The exact mechanism by which this occurs remains unknown.
These episodes may last several minutes to a few hours.
Over several years, the hearing loss may become permanent and include the loss of high frequencies as well.
Aging
There are rare reports of low-frequency hearing loss occurring in old age.
Hearing loss that occurs with age is usually high frequency.
Ramsay Hunt triggers when the shingles virus (herpes zoster) infects the facial nerve.
This affects both high- and low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss.
Facial paralysis may also occur.
Sudden Hearing Loss
Some types ofsudden sensorineural hearing lossmay affect low-pitch sounds.
A person with sudden sensorineural hearing loss may experience other symptoms like ear fullness, vertigo, or tinnitus.
This condition is more common in women and usually develops between the ages of 15 and 40.
Possible causes include autoimmune processes and viral infections, as well as genetic, metabolic, and hormonal factors.
Diagnosis
Low-frequency hearing loss can be diagnosed by anaudiologistwith a hearing test.
The hearing level results are displayed on a chart called an audiogram.
Treatment
The treatment of low-frequency hearing loss depends on the underlying cause.
Likewise, low-frequency hearing loss from secretory otitis media generally improves on its own.
If persistent or severe, anear tubecan be placed.
Low-frequency hearing loss is then usually restored.
It’s important to find an audiologist who has experience fitting hearing aids for people with low-frequency hearing loss.
It may be a bit of a trial-and-error process to get the parameters just right.
Meniere’s disease can be particularly tricky to treat, as the disease tends to occur in stages.
Hearing loss may come and go earlier on in the disease, and then usually progressively worsens.
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