What Does ‘High-Frequency Hearing Loss in the Left Ear’ Mean?

Question

What does it mean to be diagnosed with high-frequency hearing loss in the left ear during a physical examination?

Answer

The ear canal’s cochlea is responsible for receiving sound and contains different parts that sense low and high-frequency sounds. If a test reveals a decrease in high-frequency hearing in the left ear, it indicates that the part of the cochlea responsible for processing high-frequency sounds is damaged. This may be related to behaviors such as long-term use of headphones to listen to music, which can be very damaging to the ears. To treat the condition effectively, it is important to identify the cause or etiology of the hearing loss and reduce the frequency of listening to music.