Understanding hearing loss: Part 1

Pieter Jeroen Dunning

Apr 1, 2016

After a hearing test, one of the inevitable questions is “how bad is my hearing.” This can be a tricky question to answer as your hearing ability is dependent not only the loudness at which you can hear, but also the pitch. For example someone who only has trouble hearing high pitches will have a much different hearing experience than someone who only has trouble hearing only low pitches.

Over the next few weeks we will look at the many factors that determine how well you hear. We will start with the simplest, which is your overall level of hearing. The table below shows the various levels of hearing loss in decibels. For example, a hearing loss of 50 dB means sound has to be at least 50 dB loud in order to be just barely heard.

Degree of hearing loss	(dB HL)
Normal	–10 to 25
Mild	26 to 40
Moderate	41 to 55
Moderately severe	56 to 70
Severe	71 to 90
Profound	91+

Next week we will start to examine the effects each hearing level in detail.

If you have concerns about your hearing please phone Accurate Hearing to book a hearing screening at one of our 3 locations.

Lower Sackville: 902-252-3004

Halifax: 902-423-7734

Cole Harbour: 902-406-4327

Request a Callback

Sometimes it is the little questions that keep us from moving forward. If you are curious about your hearing, or that of a loved one, and you would like a no-obligation conversation with our team, help is only a call away.

Simply complete the form and one of our friendly team members will reach out to answer your questions and guide you through your next step.