What Is an Audiogram and How to Read Yours
Reading an audiogram and understanding your hearing test results can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re looking at a graph filled with lines, symbols, and numbers. This graph is called an audiogram, and it is one of the most important tools audiologists use to measure your hearing ability.
In this article, we’ll break down what an audiogram is, what it measures, and how to interpret your results, so you can feel more informed and confident about your hearing health.
Key Takeaways
- An audiogram is a chart that shows how well you hear different sound frequencies.
- The audiogram helps determine the type and degree of hearing loss you have, if any.
- Results of your hearing test are shown on the audiogram and measured in decibels (dB) for loudness, and hertz (Hz) for pitch.
- Normal hearing will typically fall in between 0-25 dB on the chart.
- Learning how to read your audiogram helps you understand your results and treatment plan.
What is an Audiogram
An audiogram is a visual graph that represents your hearing sensitivity across a range of different frequences, also known as pitches. During a hearing test, you’ll listen to a series of tones through headphones, and the responses you provide when you hear a sound are plotted on this chart.
On the chart, the horizontal axis represents frequency (pitch), measured in hertz (Hz). It ranges from low-pitched sounds on the left to high-pitched sounds on the right. Low-pitched sounds include things like thunder, while high-pitched sounds are more like birds chirping.
During your hearing test, each ear is tested separately. Your right ear is marked in red circles and your left ear in blue x’s.
What Does an Audiogram Test For
An audiogram does not only tell you if you have hearing loss, but it also provides much more detailed information. This test can also indicate how much hearing loss you have, and where it occurs. It helps identify:
- The degree of hearing loss you have (mild, moderate, severe, profound).
- The type of hearing loss (conductive, sensorineural, or mixed).
- Speech recognition ability – showing how clearly you understand words.
- Speech in noise testing- showing how well you understand sentences in real life situations (e.g.: restaurants, background noise, or small groups.)
Once the test is complete, your clinician uses these results to help provide a personalized treatment plan and recommend next steps. This could be monitoring changes with annual testing, exploring hearing aids, or addressing any underlying health issues that could be resulting in a hearing loss.
How Much Does an Audiogram Cost
An audiogram is essentially a comprehensive hearing test that measures how well you hear different tones and pitches. In Ontario and many parts of Canada, these hearing tests are often provided at no charge for adults through private hearing clinics.
However, fees may apply for patients under 50, children, or those needing workplace testing. At Hearing Solutions for example:
- Adults 50+ receive a complimentary hearing test.
- Testing for patients under 50 is $95
- Pediatric testing (18 and under) is $145
Once the hearing test is complete, we are happy to provide a copy of your results to your family doctor at no charge. Please note that while most clinics will share and go over the results with you at your appointment, some may charge a fee if you request a physical copy for personal use.
Always confirm with your clinic before booking, as pricing can vary based on the location.
How Do You Read Your Audiogram Results
When you look at your audiogram, the best place to focus on is where your marks fall on the graph:
- The lower the symbols appear on the chart, the louder the sound must be for you to hear that tone. This indicates reduced hearing sensitivity.
- The horizontal pattern shows which frequencies you hear well and which ones you have difficulty with.
If your results show a straight line near the top (0-25 dB), that’s within normal hearing range. If the line dips lower, your audiologist will explain the degree of hearing loss you have and how it could affect everyday sounds you hear – like speech, music, or background noise.
What Numbers Indicate Hearing Loss
Here’s a quick reference:
The Audiogram and Everyday Sounds
In the visual below you will see how different hearing loss patterns affect which speech sounds you’re able to hear.
The Speech Banana is the yellow-shaded area and is often shown on an audiogram. It represents where most speech sounds fall in terms of pitch and loudness during normal conversation. Vowels (a, e, I, o, u) tend to be louder and lower-pitched, while many consonants (s, f, th, k, and t) are softer and higher-pitched but essential for speech clarity.
When parts of this speech banana fall outside of your hearing range, speech may still sound audible, but less clear. This is a good example of why people often say they can hear others talking but struggle to understand what’s being said.
Sloping Hearing Loss
Sloping hearing loss means higher-pitched sounds are harder to hear. Speech may sound muffled, and consonants like “s” “sh”, or “th” are often missed. This can lead to misunderstandings between similar sounding words, such as “fifty” and “sixty”, or “cat” and “bat.”
Flat Hearing Loss
Sounds are reduced evenly across pitches. Speech might sound like it’s coming through water, or is audible, but unclear. Even at louder volumes, understanding speech can be difficult because details are missing.
Reverse Sloping Hearing Loss
Lower-pitched sounds are difficult to hear, while higher-pitched voices can remain clear. Voices might sound thin, and certain vowels or fuller speech words are difficult to detect.
Understanding where your results fall in relation to this speech banana can help explain why conversations might feel more effortful. In turn, the right hearing treatment can restore access to these missing sounds.
What is a Passing Score on a Hearing Test
There is no true “pass or fail” on a hearing test. It comes down to understanding your individual hearing profile. If your results show a threshold below 25 dB across most frequencies, your hearing is considered within normal range.
Anything above this will suggest some degree of hearing loss, which can often be managed with hearing aids or other treatments.
Next Steps
Your audiogram is more than a chart. It is a map that shows how you experience the world through sound. Learning to read it can help you understand what your ears are telling you and what support might help you hear more clearly.
If it’s been over a year since your last hearing test, or if it’s your first time, we recommend booking a hearing test at a location nearest you.
References:
John Hopkins Medicine (n.d.). Understanding Your Audiogram. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/hearing-loss/understanding-your-audiogram
Healthline (28, January 2025). How to Read Your Audiogram. https://www.healthline.com/health/audiogram
Healthy Hearing (8, February 2024). Understanding Your Audiogram Results. https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/52516-The-abc-s-of-audiograms#normal
Healthy Hearing (16, September 2024). How hearing loss affects your ability to distinguish words. https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/53580-Speech-banana-speech-clarity-and-hearing-loss
Audiology & Hearing Health (1, March 2018). Reverse-Slope Hearing Loss. https://www.audiologyandhearing.com/blog/reverse-slope-hearing-loss/
Center for Hearing Loss Help (n.d.). Kinds of Hearing Losses. https://hearinglosshelp.com/blog/kinds-of-hearing-losses/
