High end hearing loss in youth

[Answerprancer]

Someone I have been speaking to who is 15 and in a loud thrash metal band is worried that he may have done some permanent damage to his ears.
He can't hear above 14 khz at the moment and was wondering (as he's still young) if from this point on he used some ear protection that he might re-gain a normal hearing range for someone his age ?

[mollykins]

I don't think he'll be able to hear able that amount of hertz again as when you get older it slowly decreases and I don't think it can be fixed. But if he does wear ear protection, the rate at which his ears inevitably get worse will slow down to a normal rate. (squad probably would have been able to give a better answer btu i'm doing a-level biology and stuff do with senses really interests me.)

[Answerprancer]

Thanks though - I was thinking as he is still growing that there might be hope for recovery.

[scotman]

Recovery is highly unlikely. If he wants to avoid further damage either quit playing so loudly or use some form of ear defender. I suffer from tinnitus as a result of listening to music too loudly for too long. It really isn't worth it.

[mollykins]

I'm not certain but I THINK that all he can do is stop it getting worse at the same rate . . .

[Sqad]

I think that you misheard and his loss is 4Khz and above.

This is irreversible.

Scotman and molly are correct.

[Answerprancer]

He was listening to a 'hearing range test' (from 20hz to 20,000 hz) and couldn't hear above 14000hz. I know that's still pretty high but a 15YO should be able to hear above that I would have thought. I could hear bat squeaks up to about the age of 30.

[Answerprancer]

...and I can still (just about) hear 17khz (17,000hz)

[society]

The way kids these days play their music so loudly in their ears, most would lose their hearing at a young age.

[Sqad]

AP I am confused..........htz is a frequency and hearing loss is in decibels (dB)

Normal audiograms (hearing tests) are from 2.5 Khtz to 8Ktz and hearing loss is in decibels ( 0db to 100db)

Your mate has Noice Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) ...high tone loss from about 10khz on probably and this is irreversible.

[Answerprancer]

Ah ok - sorry I wasn't aware of the term NIHL - I meant high tone loss.
I'll try and 'sell' him the idea of using ear plugs from now on because all the 'cool dudes' who do the sound on the big stages at Glastonbury use them !

[cupid04]

I suffer from a certain ammount of hearing loss because I used to walk around with a
tranny in my ear!

[Answerprancer]

Ouch ! I bet that hertz !

[McMouse]

My hearing was ruined because of high velocity weapon fire. Ear defenders were available but largely ignored. Big mistake.

[AlBags]

Wants to come and listen to my mother for a couple of weeks then .. Then let's see about hearing loss!