Harriet Gillison

An audiogram is a graph that visually represents the results of a hearing test. It shows how well you can hear different pitches, or frequencies, and at what volume, or intensity, those sounds can be heard. The horizontal axis of the audiogram represents frequency, measured in Hertz (Hz), ranging from low pitches (like a bass drum) on the left to high pitches (like a bird chirping) on the right. The vertical axis represents intensity, measured in decibels (dB HL), with softer sounds at the top and louder sounds at the bottom.

During a hearing test, you'll wear headphones and be asked to signal when you hear a tone. Different tones at various frequencies and intensities will be presented to each ear separately. Your responses are then plotted on the audiogram. For each ear, there will be two sets of symbols. Typically, circles represent the right ear and crosses represent the left ear. The symbols indicate the softest intensity at which you could detect a sound at each tested frequency.

The degree of hearing loss is determined by how far down the vertical axis these symbols fall. A hearing loss is considered mild if the thresholds are between 16 and 25 dB HL. This means sounds at these levels might be difficult to hear in why noisy rooms are hard environments or might be missed altogether. Moderate hearing loss occurs when thresholds are between 26 and 40 dB HL. At this level, you'll likely have trouble understanding speech, especially at normal conversational volume.

A moderately severe hearing loss falls between 41 and 55 dB HL. This means you would need sounds to be significantly louder to hear them, and understanding speech without amplification would be very challenging. Severe hearing loss is indicated by thresholds between 56 and 70 dB HL. At this degree, even loud sounds may be difficult to perceive, and speech is almost impossible to understand without hearing aids or other assistive devices.

Profound hearing loss is the most severe, with thresholds above 70 dB HL. In this case, only very loud sounds can be heard, and speech is generally not audible. The audiogram also helps identify the type of hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss, the most common type, is caused by damage to the inner ear or the auditory nerve. Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is blocked from reaching the inner ear, often due to problems in the outer or middle ear. Mixed hearing loss involves both conductive and sensorineural components.

The shape of the audiogram can also provide clues. For example, a sloping hearing loss, where high frequencies are affected more than low frequencies, is common. A flat hearing loss means all frequencies are affected to a similar degree. Understanding your audiogram is a crucial step in managing your hearing health. It provides objective data that your audiologist or doctor uses to diagnose the extent and type of hearing loss, discuss potential causes, and recommend appropriate treatment options, such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, or other auditory rehabilitation strategies.