A hearing loss assessment gives your audiologist a detailed picture of how your ears are functioning across different frequencies and volumes. But for many patients, the results can feel difficult to interpret without some context.
This article explains what a hearing assessment involves, how to read an audiogram, and what your results mean for your hearing health going forward.
What Happens During a Hearing Loss Assessment
A full hearing assessment includes several components, each designed to evaluate a different aspect of your auditory system:
- Otoscopy: A visual examination of the ear canal and eardrum using a small handheld light and lens
- Pure tone audiometry: You listen to tones at different frequencies and volumes and indicate when you can hear them
- Speech audiometry: You are asked to repeat words and sentences, including in background noise
- Tympanometry: A pressure test that checks the health and movement of the eardrum and middle ear
Together, these tests give a comprehensive view of how sound travels through the outer, middle, and inner ear and how well the auditory system processes what it receives.
How to Read an Audiogram
The results of your pure tone test are recorded on a graph called an audiogram. Understanding the basic structure of this graph makes the results much easier to follow.
The horizontal axis represents frequency, measured in hertz (Hz), ranging from low-pitched sounds on the left to high-pitched sounds on the right. The vertical axis represents volume, measured in decibels (dB HL), with quieter sounds near the top and louder sounds towards the bottom.
Each point on the audiogram shows the softest sound you were able to hear at a given frequency. These points are plotted separately for your left ear and right ear using different symbols.
What the Results Mean
Hearing thresholds are categorised by degree of loss. According to the World Health Organization, the following ranges are commonly used in clinical practice:
- Normal hearing: 0 to 25 dB HL
- Mild hearing loss: 26 to 40 dB HL
- Moderate hearing loss: 41 to 55 dB HL
- Moderately severe: 56 to 70 dB HL
- Severe hearing loss: 71 to 90 dB HL
- Profound hearing loss: 91 dB HL and above
It is important to note that hearing loss often affects some frequencies more than others. High-frequency hearing loss, for example, is very common and typically affects the ability to hear consonant sounds clearly, making speech sound muffled even when the volume seems adequate.
What Your Results Mean for You
Your audiologist will not simply hand you a printout and send you on your way. The results of your assessment are explained in the context of your daily life, your communication needs, and any symptoms you have been experiencing.
If your hearing falls within the normal range, your audiologist may recommend a follow-up assessment in a few years or sooner if you notice changes. If any degree of hearing loss is identified, they will walk through the available options, which may include hearing aids, communication strategies, or further investigation.
If you have been experiencing difficulty following conversations, asking people to repeat themselves, or turning up the volume more than usual, it may be time to act. Book a hearing loss assessment. It is the most reliable way to understand what is happening with your hearing.
Getting Started
Toronto Family Hearing offers comprehensive hearing assessments for adults and children at our clinics in Toronto and Etobicoke. If you have questions about hearing services for kids or adult audiology care, our team is here to help.
Clear results, honest advice, and ongoing support that is what you can expect from a hearing assessment at Toronto Family Hearing.