An audiogram can diagnose your hearing loss and indicate what type of hearing loss you have. It can distinguish your hearing in each ear and whether you have hearing loss on one or both sides.

You can look at an audiogram to understand your ability to hear. The chart below shows the quietest level at which you can hear high and low pitches, as noted by an audiologist or other health professional when conducting an audiometry hearing test.

You should seek the guidance of a doctor or audiologist for treatment options, but understanding the basics of an audiogram can help you analyze what you hear in the world around you.

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 in a quiet space at a doctor’s office. The test administrator will ask you to raise your hand or push a button when you hear a sound. The administrator will mark the sounds you hear on an audiogram.

The audiogram is a fairly simple graph:

  • The Y-axis (vertical) measures the intensity, or loudness, of the sound. It’s measured in decibels (dB) and ranges from -10 to 120 on the audiogram. Low-decibel sounds include whispers. High-decibel sounds include jackhammers.
  • The X-axis (horizontal) measures the frequency or pitch of the sound. The numbers run from 125 to 8,000 and measure hertz (Hz). Low-frequency sounds are the sounds of bullfrogs or thunder. High-frequency sounds can include the sounds a cricket makes or a whistling noise.
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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.

Hearing loss can occur from:

  • noise
  • injury
  • infection
  • wax blockage
  • abnormal ossicles
  • aging
  • middle ear fluid
  • autoimmune conditions

You may even have several types of hearing loss. Some causes of hearing loss can be reversed and some cannot.

You may seek out an audiometry hearing test if you notice changes in your hearing, or your doctor may recommend it as part of routine wellness checks.

You can get an audiogram at any age, but the test and information found will vary slightly between adults and young children.

Children’s hearing is typically screened at birth or before they leave the hospital. Children may need testing if they experience speech or other developmental delays.

Hearing loss can occur with age. This is known as presbycusis. According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), 1 in 3 people between the ages of 65 and 74 in the United States experience some hearing loss. Hearing difficulties occur in more than half of people over the age of 75 years.

Where do hearing tests take place?

Traditional audiograms occur in a doctor’s office, but there is newer technology that allows people to screen their hearing at home.

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 will be points on the audiogram marked with several notations. These symbols represent the following:

  • O or a triangle (possibly in red) is the result from your right ear measured with headphones (air conduction).
  • X or a square (possibly in blue) is the result from your left ear measured with headphones (air conduction).
  • S means 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 at which you hear a frequency (pitch). This mark indicates your threshold level.

The audiogram will connect your various threshold levels for each ear. This line indicates your level of hearing ability across loudness and frequency.

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You may be able to glance at your audiogram to determine whether you have hearing loss:

  • A steady line connecting your threshold levels at the top of the chart indicates normal hearing.
  • A line with rises and drops along the chart indicates hearing loss for particular frequencies.
  • A line that slopes downward for higher frequencies is common in aging-related hearing loss.
  • A line lower on the chart indicates more extreme hearing loss.

Normal hearing measures between -10 and 25 dB for every threshold. You may have mild hearing loss between 20 and 40 dB, but this may not require further correction. Your doctor may suggest a follow-up audiometry hearing test at a later date to make sure your hearing does not get worse.

There are other parts to audiometry testing that look at aspects of hearing, such as:

  • speech recognition
  • speech discrimination
  • tympanometry
  • acoustic reflexes
  • word recognition percentage
  • hearing threshold

Hearing loss levels defined

There are several levels of hearing loss:

  • Mild hearing loss refers to thresholds that range between 26 and 40 dB. 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 hearing loss refers to thresholds that range between 41 to 55 dB. It’s difficult to hear conversations no matter the setting and have extreme difficulty hearing conversations in noisy spaces.
  • Moderate-severe hearing loss refers to thresholds that range between 56 and 70 dB. It’s difficult to hear conversations.
  • Severe hearing loss refers to thresholds that range between 71 and 90 dB. 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 hearing loss refers to thresholds greater than 90 dB. You will have little to no hearing.

Seek the advice of a medical professional to examine your audiogram and provide you with treatment options for hearing loss. The audiogram will provide guidance on how to treat the condition by articulating what type of hearing loss you have, whether one or both ears have hearing loss, and how much hearing loss you have.

Complementing treatment with 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.

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

A hearing test will measure your ability to hear certain volumes and frequencies of sound, while an audiogram is the visualization of the results of the hearing test.

What is normal hearing on an audiogram?

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

How accurate is an audiogram test?

Audiogram tests generally provide an accurate assessment of your hearing. However, certain factors, such as if headphones do not fit properly or masking is insufficient, the test may be less accurate.

You can examine your audiogram to decipher whether you have hearing loss. The chart shows the thresholds where you can hear certain tones at the lowest possible sound.

If the thresholds are at the top of the chart, you likely have normal hearing. Lines on the chart that curve, shift, or sit low could be a sign of hearing loss.

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

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.