Audiogram explained: understanding your hearing test results made simp…
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An audiogram is a graph that shows how well a person hears different pitches and loudness levels. It is the main record produced by a pure-tone hearing test, which is usually done in a soundproof booth with headphones or ear inserts.
The audiologist plays tones at different frequencies and asks you to respond whenever you hear them. The results are plotted on a chart, and learning to read that chart helps you understand your own hearing.
On the audiogram, the horizontal axis represents frequency, or pitch, measured in hertz. It typically runs from low pitches on the left, around 250 hertz, to high pitches on the right, up to 8000 hertz. The vertical axis represents loudness, or intensity, measured in decibels of hearing level. The top of the chart is quiet, near zero decibels, and the bottom is loud, often down to 120 decibels. A symbol placed higher on the graph means the tone was heard at a softer level, which indicates better hearing at that pitch. A symbol placed lower means the tone had to be made louder before it was heard.
Different symbols carry different meanings. Circles usually mark the right ear and crosses or X marks the left ear when testing is done through headphones. Brackets or arrows may indicate results from bone conduction testing, which bypasses the outer and middle ear and checks the inner ear directly. The line connecting the symbols is called the hearing threshold line, and it shows the softest sounds you can hear at each frequency.
Hearing test results are usually described in terms of degrees of hearing loss, based on the average threshold across the speech frequencies, commonly 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 hertz. Normal hearing is generally thresholds up to 20 decibels. Mild hearing loss falls between 21 and 40 decibels, and people may struggle with soft speech or background noise. Moderate hearing loss ranges from 41 to 55 decibels, where conversational speech becomes difficult. Moderately severe loss is 56 to 70 decibels, and speech must be loud to be understood. Severe hearing loss is 71 to 90 decibels, and only loud sounds or amplified speech are heard. Profound hearing loss is above 90 decibels, where even very loud sounds may be inaudible.
The shape of the line matters as much as the average. A sloping pattern shows more loss at high pitches, which often affects clarity of speech. A flat pattern means similar loss across pitches. A rising pattern means more loss at low pitches. A notch at certain frequencies can suggest noise exposure. An audiogram is only one part of a hearing evaluation, and an audiologist interprets it alongside speech testing and your history to recommend the right next steps.
The audiologist plays tones at different frequencies and asks you to respond whenever you hear them. The results are plotted on a chart, and learning to read that chart helps you understand your own hearing.On the audiogram, the horizontal axis represents frequency, or pitch, measured in hertz. It typically runs from low pitches on the left, around 250 hertz, to high pitches on the right, up to 8000 hertz. The vertical axis represents loudness, or intensity, measured in decibels of hearing level. The top of the chart is quiet, near zero decibels, and the bottom is loud, often down to 120 decibels. A symbol placed higher on the graph means the tone was heard at a softer level, which indicates better hearing at that pitch. A symbol placed lower means the tone had to be made louder before it was heard.
Different symbols carry different meanings. Circles usually mark the right ear and crosses or X marks the left ear when testing is done through headphones. Brackets or arrows may indicate results from bone conduction testing, which bypasses the outer and middle ear and checks the inner ear directly. The line connecting the symbols is called the hearing threshold line, and it shows the softest sounds you can hear at each frequency.
Hearing test results are usually described in terms of degrees of hearing loss, based on the average threshold across the speech frequencies, commonly 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 hertz. Normal hearing is generally thresholds up to 20 decibels. Mild hearing loss falls between 21 and 40 decibels, and people may struggle with soft speech or background noise. Moderate hearing loss ranges from 41 to 55 decibels, where conversational speech becomes difficult. Moderately severe loss is 56 to 70 decibels, and speech must be loud to be understood. Severe hearing loss is 71 to 90 decibels, and only loud sounds or amplified speech are heard. Profound hearing loss is above 90 decibels, where even very loud sounds may be inaudible.
The shape of the line matters as much as the average. A sloping pattern shows more loss at high pitches, which often affects clarity of speech. A flat pattern means similar loss across pitches. A rising pattern means more loss at low pitches. A notch at certain frequencies can suggest noise exposure. An audiogram is only one part of a hearing evaluation, and an audiologist interprets it alongside speech testing and your history to recommend the right next steps.
There is a fuller write-up at a band director's notes.
