What does my audiogram mean?

After you have a hearing test, your audiologist will review the hearing test results on an audiogram.

An audiogram is a graph that shows hearing sensitivity. The frequencies at the top of the graph are in Hertz (Hz). A frequency is often referred to as pitch. The higher the frequency the higher the pitch. The sound levels measured in decibels (dB) are located on the left side of the graph. Further down on the graph means an increase in intensity or loudness.

Your hearing levels in each ear are plotted on the graph to show the softest levels you can hear each pitch. The louder sounds are made to be heard, the greater the degree of hearing loss.

• Those with a mild hearing loss (26-45 dB) typically hear one-on- one conversations, if they can see the speaker’s face and are listening at close range. With mild hearing loss, it may be difficult hearing and understanding soft speech or speech from a distance. Understanding conversation in noisy backgrounds may also be difficult.
• Persons with moderate hearing loss (45-65 dB) will have difficulty hearing and understanding conversational levels of speech, even in quiet backgrounds. Listening to noise is extremely difficult.
• With severe hearing loss (66-85 dB) hearing is difficult in all situations. Speech may only be detected if a speaker is talking loudly and at close range . Those with profound hearing loss do not hear loud speech or environmental sounds.