Hearing loss is very common and can be caused by many things including exposure to loud noise, disease/virus, genetics, malformation of the inner ear, head trauma and aging. Millions of people have some form of hearing loss and may rely on hearing aids and or other forms of amplification to compensate for their loss of hearing. Hearing loss is measured in decibels (dB) and can not only be different from ear to ear but for speech and tones as well. The amount of hearing loss that a person has is ranked from mild to profound. Below is a chart that gives an example of the different levels of hearing loss and their impact on a person’s ability to hear.
|
Hearing Loss
|
Degree of Hearing Loss |
Impact on Hearing |
|
Normal Hearing
|
0 to 25 dB |
Considered normal. |
|
Mild Hearing Loss |
26 to 40 dB |
Difficulty hearing soft speech and low voices in noisy areas. |
|
Moderate Hearing Loss |
41 to 60 dB |
Moderate speech is difficult to hear when there is background noise. |
|
Severe Hearing Loss |
61 to 80 dB |
Loud speech is difficult to hear unless amplified. |
|
Profound Hearing Loss |
81 dB and above |
Hearing and understanding speech can be difficult even when amplified. |
It is a good idea to have your hearing checked regularly by a medical professional, particularly if there are any indications that there may be hearing loss or other problems with your hearing. Medical professionals may also be able to treat the hearing loss and or make recommendations on how to deal with hearing loss. Remember, only a medical professional can correctly diagnose hearing loss.