Skip to main content
Our clients say 9.5/10   Based on 53,043+ reviews in Canada for 2025 
9.5/10  Based on 53,043+ reviews  
Image shows little girl whispering to woman's ear who has high-frequency hearing loss

What is high-frequency hearing loss?

High-frequency hearing loss refers to having difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds. A notable consequence of this is that consonants become difficult to hear, meaning that others may sound like they are mumbling.

High-frequency hearing loss is often caused by age-related hearing loss and noise-induced hearing loss.

Illustration shows part of the ear where high-frequency hearing loss occurs
Image shows woman during hearing test

Book a free test for high-frequency hearing loss

Schedule a free hearing test to find out if you have high-frequency or another type of hearing loss. We can suggest treatment options and help you understand your condition better.
Are you older than 55?

Step 1 of 6

What causes high-frequency hearing loss?

High-frequency hearing loss can be caused by a wide range of health and lifestyle factors. Causes of high-frequency hearing loss include:

  • Aging
  • Genetics
  • Exposure to certain drugs
  • Syndromes
  • Diseases
  • Noise exposure
Low-frequency hearing loss

Preventing high-frequency hearing loss

While there are many health and lifestyle factors that can contribute to your risk for developing high-frequency hearing loss, there are steps that you can take to prevent it.

Using ear plugs (or other hearing protection) in excessively loud environments is a great way to protect your ears from damaging sound levels.

Untreated hearing loss

Signs and symptoms of high-frequency hearing loss

Struggling to follow conversations and understand what others say are two common signs of high-frequency hearing loss. Other signs include:

Image shows people in conversation
Difficulty following conversations
You have difficulty following group conversations (especially when background noise is present)
Image shows man looking at his phone
Phone conversations are unclear
You have trouble following phone conversations in quiet and noisy places
Image shows woman holding hand close to her ear
People seem to be mumbling
You often ask people to repeat themselves. Sounds seem unclear, or people sound like they are mumbling
Image shows woman trying to locate sounds
Difficulty locating sounds
You have difficulty locating where sounds are coming from
Image shows woman holding head suffering from pain
Signs of tinnitus
You experience ringing or buzzing sounds in your ears (called tinnitus)
Image shows elderly couple watching televison
Turning up the TV too loud
Your friends or family say you turn the television up too loud
An older man sits with an audiologist in a hearing clinic. The audiologist holds a device, discussing hearing aids on the desk. A monitor displays hearing test results; plants decorate the scene.

Treatment for high-frequency hearing loss

Our hearing care professionals often recommend hearing aids as an effective treatment method for high-frequency hearing loss. More specifically, the hearing aids can be programmed to focus on amplifying higher frequency sounds, thereby allowing the hearing aid user to hear these sounds again.

Our hearing care professionals will be able to provide the best guidance on which type of hearing aid is best for your individual needs.

Book a FREE appointment Hearing loss treatment

*A comprehensive hearing assessment is provided to adults ages 19 and older at no cost. The results of this assessment will be communicated verbally to you. If you request a copy of the Audiological Report, an administrative fee will apply, excluding Saskatchewan residents. Child hearing tests are conducted at select locations for a fee, please contact us for more information. Offer not available in Quebec. Not applicable for industrial hearing tests. This promotion is valid for select premium or advanced hearing aid models and cannot be combined with any other discount. Applies to private sales of premium or advanced hearing aids and discount is applied after any Government funding has been deducted. Offer valid only at participating locations for new clients completing their first hearing test. Limit one $25 gift card per individual. Gift card will be sent by email in 7–14 days following appointment completion. We reserve the right to amend or cancel this offer at any time without notice. Some conditions apply, see clinic for details. Offer not valid in Quebec. Offer expires 31/01/2026. **90-Day Risk-Free Trial begins at the date of purchase. Trial period varies by province. If you are not completely satisfied, you can return it within 90 days for a full refund or exchange. ***If you are quoted a lower price on an comparable hearing aid with the same features, options and services, HearingLife Canada Ltd. will match that price. Conditions Apply. Ask our hearing care professionals for more details. 150,000 Doctor referrals based on the all-time number of referrals from general physicians, Ear, Nose & Throat specialists, and medical professionals as indicated by clients on our intake forms. With financing plan, deposit may be required. Borrower must be age of majority and have a Canadian bank account. Financing is available on select core-brand hearing aids and at select HearingLife locations.