An audiogram is a graph that shows the results of a hearing test. The sound intensity in decibels (dB HL) is plotted on the audiogram from top to bottom with the quiet sounds near the top and loudest sounds at the bottom. The pitch, or frequency, in hertz (Hz) is plotted with the low-pitch (bass) sounds to the left and the high-pitch (treble) sounds to the right. Results of an audiogram show the softest sounds a person can hear, and if there is hearing loss, what kind it is and the severity. This will help the audiologist decide what solution is best for the hearing loss.
Look at the audiogram below to get an idea of the placement (by pitch and intensity) of familiar sounds such as a dog barking or a telephone ringing or different sounds of speech.
Speech discrimination, or word recognition, is also administered and is scored as a percentage of words that can be repeated correctly at a comfortable intensity level in quiet with no background noise.
All of these aspects of your exam will be explained to you in detail and you will be provided with a personal copy for your records as well.
Keep in mind throughout the testing process that your questions are always welcome. If you would like more information, or to schedule a test, call Clark Audiology at 484-231-1340 to schedule an exam now.
