Understanding your audiogram

It may look like something out of your high school math book, but an audiogram is a great way to get a comprehensive look at your hearing abilities. Typically shown with one line for each ear, an audiogram plots a person’s hearing threshold based on frequency and decibel level. Some audiograms also measure speech reception threshold, or the softest level of sound in which someone can understand speech. In this case, the space between the hearing and speech reception threshold is referred to as the speech discrimination score.

This clear overview of hearing test results can help your Hearing Care Professional better diagnose your level of hearing loss and determine the best course of action.

Book an appointment with one of our hearing centers to get your hearing tested for hearing loss.

An audiogram can be split into five categories. A hearing threshold plotted between 0 and 20 dB represents a normal range of hearing. The four categories below this threshold indicate some level of hearing loss. The lower the line, the higher the degree of impact on the person’s daily life may be.

For more information and examples of these hearing loss measurements, visit our Hearing loss levels page.

An audiogram is a graph of the softest sounds your ears can hear at different frequencies or pitches.

The horizontal axis represents frequency, showing low to high tones from left to right. Low pitch sounds, these characteristics are not inherent to pitch and loudness and can vary greatly depending on the source of the sound.

The vertical axis shows loudness in decibels from top to bottom.

Your left ear is indicated by an X and your right ear by a circle. The lower the symbols are on the graph, the louder the sound needs to be for you to hear it.

In addition to your hearing test results, your Hearing Care Professional will also consider your medical and hearing health history, your individual hearing challenges and a physical examination of the ear.

Audiogram symbols are used to represent the different frequencies and levels of hearing loss on an audiogram. They can be combined to create a visual representation of one’s hearing abilities, with the placement of the symbols indicating the frequency and degree of hearing loss. Some common audiogram symbols include:

• X
  Indicates the hearing threshold for the left ear and is sometimes marked as blue.
  
  
• O
  Indicates the hearing threshold for the right ear and is sometimes marked as red.
  
  
• < >
  Indicates bone conduction thresholds and is often marked with < for the right ear and > for the left ear. This will tell determine how well you hear and if there is a problem in the outer or middle ear.
  
  
• [ ]
  Indicates masked bone conduction. [ is the symbol for the right ear and ] is for the left ear. While testing your hearing we introduce noise to the non-tested ear to make sure the ear being tested hears the tone and is not “cross-heard” by the non-tested ear.

No two hearing loss cases are alike, meaning every audiogram will be different, too. The location of plotted sounds, the shape of the curve and the gap between the right and left ear can all help to indicate a specific type of hearing loss. The method of sound transmission, such as air or bone conduction, can also help narrow down results.