How to Read an Audiogram

When you receive the results of a hearing test, one of the first things you’ll see is an audiogram. At first glance, it might look like a complicated graph filled with lines and symbols. But this chart is simply a visual way to show how well you hear different sounds. It maps your hearing ability across a range of pitches and volumes, giving your audiologist a clearer picture of your overall hearing health.

Understanding the basics of an audiogram can help you feel more confident during follow-up discussions about your results. You don’t need to know every detail, but recognizing what the chart represents makes it easier to talk about your options and any next steps. After your hearing test an audiologist can break down how to read the chart and what it can tell you about your hearing.

What Is an Audiogram?

An audiogram is a chart used to show the results of a hearing test. It helps your audiologist understand how well you hear different types of sounds. The goal is to identify any hearing challenges you might have so the right support or treatment can be recommended. While it may seem like a complicated tool at first, the audiogram is simply a way to organize and display your hearing abilities in a clear format.

What Information an Audiogram Can Show About Your Hearing

An audiogram gives a visual outline of how your ears respond to different sound levels and pitches. It shows the softest sounds you can hear at specific frequencies, with separate results for each ear. These results are marked with symbols that form a pattern across the chart. The shape and position of this pattern help your audiologist understand what types of sounds are easier or harder for you to hear. This makes it possible to see not just the extent of your hearing loss, but also which sounds are most affected, like higher-pitched speech or lower background noise.

Your audiogram also compares your hearing between ears. If one ear picks up sounds more clearly than the other, that difference will be shown. This information is useful when thinking about how you experience conversation in daily life, especially in noisy places. The chart helps your audiologist recommend options that match your specific needs, whether it’s hearing aids, communication strategies or other support.

What Do the Symbols and Lines Mean on an Audiogram?

When looking at your audiogram, you’ll notice different symbols and lines, each with a purpose. Circles usually stand for the right ear’s results, while Xs show the left ear’s results. These symbols are placed on the graph that shows both pitch and loudness. A line often connects the symbols for each ear, giving a picture of how well you hear across different pitches.

Extra marks or brackets may appear if special tests were done. The vertical lines mark different pitches, like the keys on a piano, and the horizontal lines show how loud a sound must be for you to notice it. By checking where your results are on the chart, your audiologist can help explain which sounds are easier or harder for you to hear day to day.

How Different Sounds and Pitches Are Displayed on Your Audiogram Chart

On an audiogram chart, sounds are organized by pitch from left to right. Low-pitched sounds, like thunder or a drum, appear on the left side of the graph, while high-pitched sounds, like birds chirping or a whistle, are shown on the right. The vertical axis represents volume, with louder sounds near the bottom and softer sounds near the top. If your results appear higher up on the graph, it means you can hear softer sounds in that pitch range. When the marks drop lower, it shows that louder volumes are needed for you to hear those sounds.

This layout helps audiologists see which types of sounds are more difficult for you to hear. For example, if your chart shows lower marks on the right side, you may struggle with hearing high-pitched voices or sounds like s or th in speech. If the marks are uneven between the left and right ears, it can suggest that one ear is hearing better than the other. By reading these patterns, your audiologist can explain which sounds you’re likely to miss in conversations or daily life. This makes the audiogram a useful tool for understanding how your hearing works across different sound ranges.

Spotting Typical Signs of Hearing Loss Patterns in Your Results

Certain patterns often show up on an audiogram. Many adults can hear low-pitched sounds well but have more trouble with higher pitches. This can make it harder to catch the voices of women or children or hear alarms and beeps. Sometimes there may be a dip at certain pitches, making it tough to hear in places with background noise.

Seeing these patterns helps your audiologist know what types of sounds are most difficult for you. This information helps guide which solutions may fit your needs best. If your audiogram changes over time, sharing those results with your audiologist helps keep your care up to date. Catching these signs early can make it easier to stay connected in conversations and enjoy more of the sounds around you.

Talking with an Audiologist About What Your Audiogram Shows

After looking over your audiogram, talking with your audiologist connects the chart to what you experience every day. This conversation helps you understand how your results relate to understanding speech or picking up certain sounds at home or work. Your audiologist can answer questions about possible solutions and help you feel comfortable as you decide what’s best for your hearing health.

Making a Practical Plan for Better Hearing Based on Your Audiogram

Once you and your audiologist have talked about your audiogram, the next step is to come up with a plan that matches your needs. This plan should help you hear better in situations that matter most to you, like talking with family or listening at work.

It’s not always easy to know which options will work best in daily life. Setting clear goals and trying out different hearing aids or assistive devices in real situations can help you figure out what works best. This way, you can find solutions that really improve how you hear and communicate every day.

If you want to learn more about the extent of hearing loss you are experiencing or what to know what your audiogram results mean talk with an audiologist. Schedule an appointment with an audiologist if you have any questions.