Don't fear
what you can't hear, We can help to make it Clear!
 See Types of Hearing Loss |
See Effects of Hearing Loss |
| See Hearing Loss Descriptors |
See Possible Solutions |
| See Prognosis |
See Hearing Loss Prevention |
| See Degrees of Hearing Loss |
DEGREES OF HEARING LOSS
Hearing tests have to be standarized to create a baseline of hearing scoring. Through a process called audiometry, the test person hears a series of tones. This test is designed to find the lowest level that a person can actually hear a tone presented at many different frequencies. This "lowest level" becomes the threshold and it is scored on the audiogram for the right and left ear per frequency tested. There are 5 levels of hearing loss classifications.
0-20 dB |
Normal Hearing |
20-40 dB |
Mild Hearing Loss |
60-80 dB |
Severe Hearing Loss |
80-above |
Profound Hearing Loss |
Unfortunately, many people wait until the hearing loss moves to the severe/profound category before seeking help. The ability to discriminate speech is critical to maintain if at all possible, and getting help at any early stage has much better results than waiting for the more severe hearing loss.
