Hearing loss and the Audiogram Explained
In our previous blog post we explained the structures of the ear as well as how exactly hearing works. This week’s blog post will focus on degrees of hearing loss as well as how to interpret and understand your hearing test results.
Your hearing test results:
Your hearing test results will be displayed on an audiogram. An audiogram is a graph that displays the softest sounds an individual can hear at different frequencies or pitches.
The audiogram shown below indicates the different degrees of hearing loss.
**The horizontal axis represents frequency (pitch) from lowest to highest. The lowest frequencies tested is usually 125 / 250 Hertz (Hz), the highest is usually 8000 Hz.Think of the frequency axis like the keys on a piano where the sounds become higher as you progress from left to right.
**The vertical axis of the audiogram represents the intensity (loudness) of sound in decibels (dB), with the lowest levels at the top of the graph.
The below example displays hearing thresholds for the right and left ear. Results obtained from the right ear are displayed by red O’s, results from the left ear are displayed by blue X’s. The below example demonstrates different hearing abilities by the two ears.
It’s important to note this is just one of many tests that will be conducted by the Audiologist. This test does however determine if a patient is a suitable candidate for a hearing aid.
***Our next blog post will focus on the different type of hearing losses as well as recommendations or referrals for each type of hearing loss.