Audiogram Explained: How to Read Your Hearing Test Results

  • Audiology
  • An audiogram is a chart that shows how softly you can hear different pitches in each ear.
  • Understanding the symbols, scores, and hearing levels can make your hearing test results easier to discuss with an audiologist.
  • Brant Audiology offers comprehensive hearing tests in Wyoming, with an audiologist who clearly explains your results and next steps.

If you recently had a hearing test, you may have been handed a chart filled with circles, X marks, lines, numbers, and shaded areas. That chart is called an audiogram. At first glance, it can look technical, but the basic idea is simple: an audiogram shows the softest sounds you can hear at different pitches.

An audiogram does not tell the whole story by itself. It works best when it is reviewed with your symptoms, listening goals, medical history, and speech testing results from related tests. Still, learning the basics can help you understand what your results mean and what questions to ask next.

This guide explains the common symbols, scores, hearing levels, and next steps that may come after an audiogram. If you need a full hearing evaluation, Brant Audiology’s hearing test information can support the bigger picture, but this article focuses specifically on understanding the results chart.

What Is an Audiogram?

An audiogram is the graph used to record the results of a hearing test. It shows how loud a sound must be before you can hear it at different pitches, also called frequencies.

The test usually checks each ear separately. You listen for tones through headphones or insert earphones, then respond when you hear each sound. The audiologist records the quietest level you can detect at each pitch. Those points are plotted on the audiogram.

The final chart helps answer important questions:

  • Which ear hears better?
  • Are low, middle, or high pitches harder to hear?
  • Is the hearing loss mild, moderate, severe, or profound?
  • Is the pattern more consistent with outer or middle ear involvement, inner ear involvement, or a mixed pattern?
  • Do the results match your real-life listening concerns?

An audiogram is one part of a complete hearing evaluation. It helps guide the conversation, but it should not be interpreted in isolation from other tests that may measure speech clarity, middle ear function, or balance-related concerns.

How to Read the Audiogram Graph

Most audiograms have two main parts: pitch across the top and loudness down the side.

Frequency: The Pitch of Sound

Frequency is measured in hertz, often written as Hz. It tells you whether a sound is low-pitched or high-pitched.

Low-pitched sounds are on the left side of the audiogram. High-pitched sounds are on the right side. Common test frequencies include 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 Hz.

Everyday sounds include a range of frequencies:

  • Low-pitched sounds may include thunder, traffic rumble, or a deep voice.
  • Mid-pitched sounds may include many vowel sounds in speech.
  • High-pitched sounds may include birds, alarms, and consonants such as S, F, T, and K.

Many people with hearing loss first struggle with higher pitches. That is why speech may sound loud enough but unclear. The volume is present, but important speech details may be missing.

Decibels: The Softest Level You Can Hear

Loudness is measured in decibels hearing level, often written as dB HL. This number reflects the intensity needed before you hear a sound. On an audiogram, softer sounds are near the top of the chart, and louder sounds are lower down.

This can feel backward at first. A mark near the top is usually better for hearing. A mark lower on the chart means the sound had to be louder before you could hear it.

For example, if your threshold at 2000 Hz is 20 dB HL, you heard a fairly soft tone at that pitch. If your threshold at 2000 Hz is 60 dB HL, the tone had to be much louder before you could detect it.

What the Symbols Mean

Audiograms use different symbols to show which ear was tested and how the sound was delivered.

Air Conduction Symbols

Air conduction testing checks how sound travels through the full hearing system: outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, and auditory nerve.

Common symbols include:

  • O: right ear air conduction
  • X: left ear air conduction

These symbols are usually the first ones people notice. If the O and X marks are close together, both ears are hearing at similar levels. If they are far apart, one ear may hear better than the other.

Bone Conduction Symbols

Bone conduction testing sends vibration through the skull to the inner ear. This helps the audiologist understand whether the hearing loss is related to the outer or middle ear, the inner ear, or both. Bone conduction thresholds are especially useful because they show how the inner ear responds when the outer and middle ear are bypassed.

Common symbols may include:

  • < or [: right ear bone conduction
  • > or ]: left ear bone conduction

If bone conduction thresholds are much better than air conduction thresholds, there may be a conductive component, such as wax, fluid, eardrum problems, or middle ear issues. If air and bone results are similar, the loss may be sensorineural, meaning it is more related to the inner ear or hearing nerve.

Your audiologist will explain which symbols were used on your specific chart, since formats can vary.

What Hearing Levels Mean

Audiogram results are often grouped into hearing level categories. These categories describe how much sound has to be increased before you hear it.

Common hearing level ranges include:

  • Normal hearing: about 0 to 25 dB HL
  • Mild hearing loss: about 26 to 40 dB HL
  • Moderate hearing loss: about 41 to 55 dB HL
  • Moderately severe hearing loss: about 56 to 70 dB HL
  • Severe hearing loss: about 71 to 90 dB HL
  • Profound hearing loss: about 91 dB HL or higher

These ranges are general guides. Your real-life experience depends on the pattern of the hearing loss, how clearly you understand speech, and what listening situations matter most to you. Even a mild loss can create difficulty if it affects the pitches that carry speech detail.

For example, a person with mild high-frequency hearing loss may hear low voices fairly well but miss speech clarity in background noise. Another person with moderate loss across several frequencies may notice that many voices sound softer, not just less clear.

Common Audiogram Patterns

The shape of the audiogram can reveal useful information. Different types of patterns may point toward different listening challenges or follow-up needs.

High-Frequency Hearing Loss

High-frequency hearing loss means the marks are lower on the right side of the graph. This is common with age-related hearing changes and noise exposure.

People with this pattern often say:

  • I hear people talking, but I cannot understand every word.
  • Speech sounds muffled.
  • Women’s and children’s voices are harder to follow.
  • Background noise makes conversation much more difficult.

This happens because high-frequency sounds carry many speech details.

Low-Frequency Hearing Loss

Low-frequency hearing loss means the marks are lower on the left side of the graph. This pattern is less common and may be related to specific ear or medical conditions.

People with this pattern may struggle with low voices, environmental sounds, or the sense that sound quality is uneven.

Flat Hearing Loss

A flat audiogram means hearing thresholds are similar across low, middle, and high pitches. This can make many sounds seem softer overall.

Notched Hearing Loss

A notch is a dip at a specific frequency range, often around 3000 to 6000 Hz. This can sometimes be associated with noise exposure.

Speech Scores and What They Add

Pure-tone results show the softest tones you can hear. Speech testing shows how well you understand words.

Two common speech measures are speech reception threshold and word recognition score.

Speech Reception Threshold

Speech reception threshold, or SRT, measures the softest level at which you can repeat familiar words. It helps confirm whether the pure-tone results are consistent and whether your sensitivity to speech matches the pattern shown on the audiogram.

Word Recognition Score

Word recognition score, sometimes called WRS, measures how clearly you understand words when they are presented at a comfortable listening level.

This score matters because two people can have similar audiograms but very different speech understanding. One person may do well with properly fitted hearing aids, while another may need more detailed counseling, assistive listening technology, or additional medical evaluation.

If your word recognition score is lower than expected, your audiologist may explain what that means for communication, hearing aid expectations, and next steps.

What Your Results May Mean for Next Steps

An audiogram does not automatically mean you need hearing aids. It helps identify the type, degree, and pattern of hearing loss so your audiologist can recommend the most appropriate next step.

Possible next steps may include:

  • Monitoring your hearing over time
  • Hearing protection for noise exposure
  • Earwax removal or medical referral if a conductive issue is suspected
  • Hearing aids or other hearing technology
  • Real ear measurement during hearing aid fitting
  • Assistive listening devices for specific situations
  • Tinnitus evaluation if ringing or buzzing is present
  • Referral to a medical provider for sudden, one-sided, or medically concerning symptoms

The right recommendation depends on more than the chart. It depends on how the results connect to daily life, including communication difficulty, sound sensitivity, balance concerns, and listening goals.

Questions to Ask About Your Audiogram

When reviewing your results, consider asking:

  • What type of hearing loss do I have?
  • Is one ear different from the other?
  • Which pitches are most affected?
  • How do my results explain the listening problems I notice?
  • What do my speech scores mean?
  • Do I need hearing aids now, or should we monitor my hearing?
  • Are there any medical red flags in my results?
  • What should I do to protect the hearing I still have?

These questions can help turn a technical chart into a practical plan.

Audiogram Explained: Get Answers From an Audiologist in Wyoming

An audiogram is a map of your hearing. The symbols show which ear was tested, the numbers show how softly you hear each pitch, and the pattern helps explain why certain listening situations may feel difficult.

The most important takeaway is that an audiogram should lead to a clear conversation. You should leave understanding what your hearing test results mean, what options are available, and what next steps make sense for your hearing health.

At Brant Audiology, our team can help explain audiogram results, connect them to your real-world listening needs, and guide you toward the right hearing care plan.

Schedule an appointment with Brant Audiology today!