Noise-induced hearing loss first appears near 4 kHz as an audiometric notch

Evidence

Because the damage is caused by excessive noise exposure, it is more likely at the frequencies at which the acoustic level at the ear is enhanced. The ear is most sensitive at the first resonance of the ear canal, or about 4 kHz, and this is the frequency at which most hearing damage first shows up. Hearing damage in this region is usually referred to as an “audiometric notch” because of its distinctive shape on an audiogram (once the results have been plotted following a hearing test); see Figure 2. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 667 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim
• XREF: connects to: Normal hearing is most sensitive near 2 to 5 kHz — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 168; Noise-induced hearing loss begins with impairment of outer hair cells; In-ear headphones produce the most 4 kHz hearing loss among headphone types — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1706 (+3 more)

Related

• Hearing damage first appears at the ear canal’s resonance frequency near 4 kHz (similarity 0.96)
• Hearing is most damage-prone in the 3-8 kHz frequency range (similarity 0.86)
• Outer ear canal resonance explains peak sensitivity near 4 kHz (similarity 0.85)
• Normal hearing is most sensitive near 2 to 5 kHz (similarity 0.84)
• The ear is most easily damaged between 3 and 8 kHz (similarity 0.83)
• Noise damage creates a 4-kHz notch while aging affects high frequencies (similarity 0.83)
• The ear’s full dynamic range exists only near 4 kHz (similarity 0.83)
• In-ear headphones produce the most 4 kHz hearing loss among headphone types (similarity 0.83)
• Noise-induced hearing loss can unmask audible difference tones (similarity 0.82)
• Human hearing sensitivity peaks near 4 kHz and falls off at both extremes (similarity 0.81)
• Damage location in the ear maps onto specific frequency regions of hearing loss. (similarity 0.80)
• The ear is most sensitive to amplitude modulation near 4 Hz (similarity 0.80)
• Neural hearing damage occurs without measurable threshold elevation (similarity 0.80)
• Normal hearing is operationally defined as a four-frequency average threshold below 25 dB HL. (similarity 0.79)
• Noise-induced hearing loss begins with impairment of outer hair cells (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Hearing damage first appears at the ear canal’s resonance frequency near 4 kHz #expands (0.92) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 667