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You can look at an audiogram to understand how you hear. The chart shows the quietest level that you can hear when taking an audiometry hearing test.

An audiogram can show you what type of hearing loss you have. It can tell you if you have hearing loss on one or both sides.

“Understanding the basics of an audiogram can help you understand what you hear in the world around you, even if you don’t seek the guidance of a doctor or an audiologist.”

An audiogram is the visual result of an audiometry hearing test administered by an audiologist or other health professional. This test measures potential hearing loss. The test uses a type of technology called an audiometer that can be connected to headphones, a speaker, or bone-conduction devices. The audiometer emits sounds that measure sound intensity and frequency.

“You can get an audiometry hearing test at a doctor’s office. The administrator will ask you to raise your hand or push a button when you hear something. The administrator will mark the sounds on the audiogram.”

The audiogram is a fairly simple graph.

  • “The Y-axis is the measure of the sound’s intensity. It is measured in decibels and can be found on the audiogram. Low-decibel sounds can be heard. The sounds include jackhammers.”
  • The X-axis shows the pitch of the sound. The numbers are from 125 to 8,000. BullFrogs and thunder are low-frequency sounds. A cricket makes a sound, or a whistling noise.
Design by Maya Chastain

The audiometer can measure different parts of the ear based on how you receive the sounds. Headphones, speakers, and bone-conduction devices can measure different parts of the ear to determine the type of hearing loss.

  • Conductive hearing loss is hearing loss in the external ear or middle ear.
  • Sensorineural hearing loss is inner ear hearing loss.
  • Mixed hearing loss is when conductive and sensorineural hearing loss occur together.

Hearing loss can occur.

  • There is noise.
  • injury
  • It is an infectious disease
  • There is a wax problem.
  • abnormal ossicles
  • health conditions
  • Aging.
  • Middle ear fluid.
  • The disease is caused by an immune system deficiency.

You may have hearing loss. Some causes of hearing loss can be reversed.

If you notice a change in your hearing, you can seek out an audiometry hearing test. The audiogram can be obtained at any age, but the test and information found will vary between adults and young children.

Children are usually screened for hearing problems at birth. If they experience delays in speech or other cognitive skills, they may need testing.

Adults over age 50 may experience hearing loss with age. Some estimates state that 25% of adults over 50 years old and 50% of those over 80 years old experience hearing loss.

Where are hearing tests given?

“There is newer technology that allows people to screen their hearing at home, but traditional audiograms are still done in a doctor’s office.”

These automated devices produce the same result as traditional tests. Seek a doctor’s advice if you discover you have hearing loss through these automated devices.

There are points on the audiogram. These symbols are used.

  • The result from your right ear is called an O or a triangle.
  • The result from your left ear is called X or a square.
  • The information is not ear specific.
  • < or [ is the result from your right ear measured with bone conduction
  • > or ] is the result from your left ear measured with bone conduction

The test administrator will note these marks when you indicate the lowest level of intensity. This mark is used to indicate your threshold level.

The audiogram will show you the different thresholds for each ear. This line shows your hearing ability.

Design by Maya Chastain

You may be able to determine if you have hearing loss by looking at your audiogram.

  • A steady line connecting your thresholds at the top of the chart shows normal hearing.
  • Hearing loss for particular frequencies can be seen on a line with rises and drops.
  • Aging-related hearing loss can be caused by a line that slopes downward.
  • A line on the chart indicates hearing loss.

Normal hearing measures between 10 and 15 decibels. You may have slight hearing loss, but it may not require further correction. Your doctor may suggest a follow-up hearing test to make sure your hearing is not getting worse.

Audiometry testing can look at aspects of hearing.

  • Speech recognition
  • Speech discrimination.
  • TYSpanomety
  • The reflexes are acoustic.
  • Word recognition percentage
  • Hearing threshold

Hearing loss levels defined

There are several levels of hearing loss.

  • Mild refers to thresholds that range between 26–40 decibels; you may be able to talk with people face to face and understand them perfectly but struggle to hear sounds from far away, quiet talking, or conversations in louder spaces.
  • Moderate refers to thresholds that range between 45–65 decibels; you struggle to hear conversations no matter the setting and have extreme difficulty hearing conversations in noisy spaces.
  • Severe refers to thresholds that range between 66–85 decibels; you may only be able to hear someone if they are talking loudly and very close to you and cannot hear other sounds around you.
  • Profound refers to thresholds greater than 85 decibels.

Seek the advice of a medical professional to examine your audiogram and provide you with treatment options for hearing loss. The audiogram will give you guidance on how to treat the condition by showing you the types of hearing loss you have, and how much you have.

Complementing treatment with There is noise.protection is always important.

Some treatments may include:

Your doctor may also recommend additional hearing tests or diagnostic procedures to better understand your condition, such as getting a tympanogram. Middle ear exploration is also an option for significant hearing loss.

What does an audiogram test for?

“A hearing test will detect which sounds you can hear. It will test the sound’s volume and frequencies. An audiogram is a chart that shows the outcome of a test.”

What is the difference between an audiogram and a hearing test?

An audiogram is the visualization of the results of a hearing test, while a hearing test measures your ability to hear certain volumes and frequencies of sound.

What is normal hearing on an audiogram?

For adults, an audiogram reading between -10 and 25 db HL is considered within normal limits.

You can look at your audiogram to see if you have hearing loss. The chart shows the thresholds where you can hear certain tones. If the thresholds are at the top of the chart, you have normal hearing. Hearing loss can be seen on the chart that curves, shifts or sits low.

Your doctor or an audiologist can recommend treatment for your hearing loss based on the audiogram and severity.

Natalie Silver is a writer, editor, and owner of Silver Scribe Editorial Services, a publishing services company. Natalie adores working in a profession that allows her to learn about many different topics all in a day’s work. She lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and two children. You can learn more about Natalie’s work on her website.