A Guide to Your Hearing Exams Results

Have you recently experienced changes to your hearing? Usually, it's the people around you who will notice that your hearing is different than usual. This could be because you are playing the TV at a louder volume or even speaking more loudly than usual. Once you notice a change to your hearing, you should speak to an audiologist about booking a hearing test. With a hearing test, you can determine the extent of your hearing loss and explore the best treatment option. The results of a hearing test can be quite complicated. In this guide, we'll explain everything that you need to know. 

What do the results look like?

The hearing test results will seem like lines across a page, similar to a typical line graph. While they might make no sense to you, a trained audiologist will be able to get a lot of information from your audiogram. It can provide all the information they need to determine the extent of the hearing loss you are experiencing. 

Frequency in hertz  

This is reflected through the measurement on the horizontal line of the graph or the x-axis. It provides information on the frequency of the soundwaves. The frequency differs depending on the noise. For instance, one of the highest notes on a piano will be approximately 4,100 Hz. In contrast, a cat's purr will be roughly 22 Hz. It can provide details of the types of noises and sounds that you might not be able to hear.

Intensity

This refers to the loudness of a particular sound. The intensity of noise will be measured in decibels. So, for instance, the volume of a normal conversation is somewhere around the 60-70dBs point. In contrast, a lawnmower will usually operate at about 107dBs. This is why you will often find that gardeners wear ear defenders. That way, they can protect their hearing from potential change. Anything over 90dBs has the potential to change your hearing. This becomes more likely with regular exposure. That's why if you are attending a concert or a similar place with loud noises, then you should make sure that you make sure to wear ear defenders. 

What equates to hearing loss?

Minor hearing loss can be anything between 20-40dBs. In contrast, profound hearing loss will be anything more than 90dBs. Be aware that there are hearing aids for all different levels of hearing loss. Your audiologist will explain these options to you. An audiogram will measure how you hear rather than the specific quality of your hearing. For instance, it can tell you if you can hear someone talking clearly. But it can't tell you if you can hear sounds at a certain decibel level. 

We hope this helps you understand everything that you need to know about your hearing exam results. If you have any more questions, it's best to consult with an audiologist. They will be able to address any queries or concerns that you might have regarding your results.