New Delhi: In a bizarre medical case, a woman in China has been diagnosed with a rare type of hearing loss in which she could hear only high-frequency tones and voices of women – and not men. According to a report in Daily Mail, a specialist diagnosed the woman with reverse-slope hearing loss.
Reportedly, the woman, who has been identified by her surname, Chen, experienced symptoms such as nausea and ringing in her ears one night before the nightmare. Ms Chen, who went to bed with her boyfriend, was shocked to find that she was unable to hear him the next morning. Immediately, she consulted an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist at a hospital, Dr Lin Xiaoqing, who diagnosed her with reverse-slope hearing loss, a condition that leaves a patient unable to hear deeper sounds.
What is reverse-slope hearing loss?
Reverse-slope hearing loss (RSHL), also known as low-frequency hearing loss, is much less common than high-frequency hearing loss, in which a patient has trouble hearing high-pitched voices and sounds. The signs and symptoms of reverse-slope hearing loss include – difficulty understanding speech on the phone, ease understanding women and children but not men, inability to hear low-frequency environmental sounds, etc. Figures show that the condition affects only one in nearly 13,000 patients with hearing problems.
According to doctors, genetics and certain diseases – such as hearing loss and viral infection – can cause reverse-slope hearing loss, but stress can also contribute to the development of the condition. It is reported that Ms Chen had been working late hours, putting her body under more stress than usual and not getting enough sleep.
The doctor believes added stress and fatigue may have contributed to the cause of Ms. Chen’s hearing loss. Dr Xiaoqing, who expects Ms Chan to make a full recovery, said people should treat such symptoms quickly
Health experts recommend seeking medical help even if the condition does not seem to have a major effect on your hearing.
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