Understanding the Fundamentals

of the Audiogram…So What?

By Larry Medwetsky

I have written this article based on my

perspectives as being both a consumer
Anyone who has ever had their
hearing tested should know how
An audiogram refers to the graph
by which the results of a hearing test
with hearing loss since the age of three to read the audiogram, but that’s are recorded. However, before one can
and as a practicing audiologist. Prior to easier said than done. Hopefully, truly understand the implications of the
becoming an audiologist, I was sometimes hearing test results, one needs to be aware
after reading this article you will
confused by the terminology used to of certain basic principles underlying the
explain my hearing loss. have a greater understanding of audiogram.
What did it mean to have a moder- the principles discussed and use
ately severe to severe sensorineural hearing your knowledge going forward— Figure 1—Highlights Two Key
loss? How did this relate to or explain the be it in reviewing hearing test Aspects, Frequency and Intensity
hearing difficulties I was encountering? I results you already have or when Each vertical line refers to a different
remember telling others I had a 50 percent frequency, while each horizontal line
discussing your results at your
hearing loss, even though I later realized I represents a different intensity level.
was confusing different test findings. next hearing test. Let’s start by focusing on the top,
horizontal line. Pretend that you are
So What? technology that could make it easier to sitting in front of a piano. The left side
As an audiologist, I am motivated to en- adjust your hearing aids to your specific represents the bass-like, lower-pitched
sure as much as possible that my clients hearing loss, hear others more easily in sounds. As you go up the scale the sounds
not only understand the different ter- noise, and do this without the annoying become more and more treble-like
minologies but also how the test findings whistling common in older hearing aids, (higher-pitched), with each vertical line
can help them to better understand the then that description would be more representing a higher frequency (either
nature of their hearing difficulties. meaningful and actually answer the So one-half or one full octave higher than
One of my guiding principles was what? question. the previous vertical line).
pursuant to a discussion I had a number I believe the same principle holds Examples of low-pitched (125,
of years ago at a directors’ meeting at the true when explaining audiometric test 250 Hz) sounds include environmental
Rochester Hearing and Speech Center, procedures and the results obtained from sounds such as ocean waves or a truck,
where I served as a vice-president of that testing. My explanations should not while high-frequency (4000, 8000 Hz)
clinical services for many years. Dr. lead consumers to feel So what? Rather, sounds are exemplified by sounds such as
Peter Hixson, who was our president, they should leave my office feeling that a bird (sparrow/robin, not ducks or geese)
led the discussion and was focusing on they possess a better understanding of: or a piccolo. [Hz is hertz, cycles
the needs of consumers of information. per second].
The focus of the conversation was the • what they can and can’t hear; The horizontal lines represent the
concept of “So what?” • why they might hear in certain different intensity (loudness) of sounds.
Dr. Hixson felt strongly that if any settings but not in others; and, The unit of intensity is a “decibel,” often
information presented to consumers could • the rationale for the recommendations abbreviated as dB. There are two units
be answered with So what?, then the that were provided; and, in turn, have of decibel. One is referred to as Sound
information being shared was insufficient. greater confidence in their subsequent Pressure Level, (SPL) which refers to the
For example, if an ad concerning hearing decisions moving forward. actual intensity of a sound.
aid technology indicated that the hearing For example, in the past you might
aid had dual microphone technology, The Audiogram have seen graphic representations of
multiple-band compression, and feedback With the assistance of Dr. Chizuko intensities of different sounds, some
suppression, a consumer naïve to such Tamaki, a colleague of mine, we have exhibiting very low intensity levels (such
terminology could easily state “So what? crafted a series of figures that build upon as whispers), while others being very loud
What does that mean for me?” each other, the goal being for you to have and harmful to human hearing (e.g.,
It would be more helpful if one were a better understanding of audiometric jackhammer).
to state the hearing aids had microphone findings and their implications. A second use of the decibel pertains
36 Hearing Loss Magazine Visit us at hearingloss.org and follow @HLAA on Twitter
 Speech sounds also differ in their
intensity. Figure 1 reveals the intensity
level of the different speech sounds when
the talker is about five feet away from a
listener (an average distance for typical
conversations). You will note that sounds
such as /ah/, /oo/ are among the loudest
sounds produced, while sounds such as
/f/, and /th/ are very soft (approximately
30 decibels softer than /a/).

Figure 1—Thresholds
Figure 1 also displays thresholds for
someone’s right ear (as represented by
the red circles). These results have been
plotted against the intensity of speech
sounds for a talker at a distance of
five feet from the listener. All sounds
Figure 1. An audiogram representing the different levels and frequencies of some occurring above this person’s thresholds
common environmental sounds as well as various speech sounds at a distance of (i.e., closer to the top of the audiogram)
five feet away from the talker. To illustrate the audibility of different sounds, right ear
air-conduction thresholds have been plotted as well.
would be inaudible, while all sounds
occurring below the threshold line would
be able to be heard. If both ears exhibited
to what is referred to as Hearing Level, the intensity. In terms of environmental similar thresholds for this individual, he
abbreviated as HL. The HL unit is based sounds: or she would not be able to hear any of
on research that ascertained the amount the speech sounds from five feet away,
of dB SPL needed to derive the average • Very soft sounds are represented by and consequently might not know that
threshold (i.e., softest level in which a calm ocean waves, whispers or birds someone was speaking from this distance
sound can be heard) at each frequency chirping. if the talker was not in view.
for large groups of normal hearing • Moderately loud sounds are However, this does not mean that
individuals (usually college students), represented by a baby cry. the individual wouldn’t be able to hear
the “0 dB HL level.” • Very loud sounds are represented by any sounds. For example, this individual
It should be noted that the ear’s a truck, lawnmower, chainsaw or would still be able to hear the baby
sensitivity to sound actually varies as airplane. cry (though somewhat softly), truck,
a function of frequency, such that the lawnmower, chainsaw, and airplane
human ear is most sensitive to sounds in Listening to Speech as their intensities all fall below the
the mid-range of frequencies (1000-2000 Most individuals would agree that speech threshold line.
Hz) and poorer at the lower and higher represents the most important sounds As noted in Figure 1, the
frequencies. they listen to. However, speech sounds thresholds were plotted against speech
For example, at 125 Hz the average vary in frequency and intensity. Some sounds for a talker five feet from the
sound pressure level required to achieve speech sounds are lower-pitched (such as listener. But what would happen if the
threshold in normal hearing individuals /m/, /u/, while others are high-pitched talker was to move closer to the listener,
is about 45 dB SPL, while only 7 dB SPL (such as /t/, /s/). Please note that many for example, be only six inches from the
at around 1500 Hz. To make hearing of the speech sounds produced by male listener’s right ear?
results easier to understand, rather than adults are of lower frequency than those
using the SPL values to plot thresholds produced by female adults and children. Figure 2—Explains a
(which would result in numerous For example, Boothroyd and Number of Things
curved lines), audiologists use HL values Medwetsky (1992) found that the Figure 2 shows a shift in the level of
(resulting in parallel horizontal lines), average /s/ sound produced by a male the speech sounds (approximately 15
thus, making it much easier to visualize adult is approximately 4300 Hz and decibels louder). In examining this
one’s hearing results. 7200 Hz for female adults. Depending individual’s right ear thresholds against
In examining the verbiage next to on the neighboring vowel sound in the level of these speech sounds, many
the left vertical line (125 Hz), the closer which the /s/ might be produced, such of these speech sounds are now audible.
one is to the top of the graph the less as an /ee/, the frequency of the /s/ sound For example, many of the stronger
intense (softer) is the sound, while the for some females in this study was shown vowels, such as /a/, /u/ and some of the
closer to the bottom the greater (louder) to be as high as 8900 Hz. continued on page 38
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Audiogram cont. from page 37
consonants, such as /sh/ would now be
able to be heard.
Figure 2 also helps to explain
a number of phenomena. First, the
distance between the talker and the
listener affects the intensity level of
sounds heard. To make speech louder
one does not always have to raise one’s
voice but rather one can just get closer.
Second, the benefit of FM systems
is not that they magically reduce back-
ground noise. By having a talker wear a
microphone approximately two to six
inches from one’s mouth, one effectively
reduces the distance between the talk-
er’s mouth and the listener’s ears. Conse-
quently, the speech signal increases in
intensity by 15-20 decibels relative to the
background noise which, in turn, makes
it easier to hear the desired speech signal.
Figure 3. Main anatomical features of the ear
Pure Tone Audiometry
Pure tone audiometry is the procedure use of headphones (covering the ears) • Inner Ear/Auditory Nerve (where
used by audiologists to present tones of or insert phones (a foam tip is inserted the sounds transmitted via the middle
different frequencies/levels. One goal into the ear). In either case, sounds are ear bones cause fluid to move and
is to find the softest level at which an transmitted through the: stimulate microscopic hair cells in the
individual hears various tones (i.e., one’s cochlea (i.e., the snail-shaped organ of
threshold for the different frequencies). • Outer Ear (ear canal) the inner ear) and, in turn, excite the
To derive important diagnostic infor- • Middle Ear (striking the eardrum auditory nerve/transmit the impulses
mation, this test is administered via causing it to vibrate and, in turn, the to the brain.
two different mechanisms. adjoining three middle ear bones—
One technique referred to as Air malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and See Figure 3 for a schematic of these
Conduction Audiometry involves the stapes (stirrup) anatomical features.

Figure 3—Bone Conduction

Audiometry
A second technique, referred to as Bone
Conduction Audiometry, involves
placement of a vibrating device on a
person’s mastoid bone (i.e., the part
of the skull behind the ear). By doing
so, the presented sounds essentially
bypass the outer and middle ear and are
transmitted directly to the inner ear.

Figure 4—How Sound Travels

Figure 4 shows a schematic of how
sounds presented via air conduction
audiometry and bone conduction
audiometry travel to their ultimate
destinations.
The results from bone conduction
Figure 2. Audibility of various speech sounds at a distance of six inches away from
audiometry inform the clinician
the talker. as to whether there is an inner ear

38 Hearing Loss Magazine Visit us at hearingloss.org and follow @HLAA on Twitter

(sensorineural hearing) loss present. By
comparing the results obtained from air
conduction audiometry (transmission of
sounds through the outer, middle, and
inner ears) to those obtained from bone
conduction audiometry (inner ear), one
can determine if there is any difference
between the results obtained.
If there is no difference between the
air/bone conduction thresholds, one is
fairly certain that there is no conductive
(outer/middle ear) component, that is,
some barrier such as wax or middle ear
fluid impeding the conduction of sound
through the outer canal and middle ear
to its destination in the cochlea of the
inner ear.
If the test results reveal that the bone
conduction thresholds are significantly Figure 5. Audiometric results for an individual with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss
better for at least some frequencies than
the air conduction thresholds, then this is specific frequency, then one does not audible. The further down the vertical
consistent with the presence of some type have to obtain BC thresholds from both axis that a sound occurs, the louder and,
of conductive component. ears with results from one ear sufficing. consequently more audible the sounds
Thus, the hearing loss observed in this would be to this individual. On the
Figure 5—What Does it Show? case arises only from the inner ear for other hand, any sound occurring above
Figure 5 shows the results for an both ears. When this occurs it is referred the threshold line (i.e., softer) would be
individual with a bilateral (i.e., in to as a sensorineural hearing loss. inaudible to that individual.
both ears) mild to moderately-severe One can see that this individual’s For the individual represented in
sensorineural hearing loss. The left ear thresholds are best in the lower frequen- Figure 5 (at a talker’s distance of five
air conduction (AC) thresholds are cies. By examining the nomenclature feet), many of the speech sounds (the
represented by X, while the right ear AC next to the 12000 Hz vertical line one vowels and low frequency consonants
thresholds are represented by O. The can see that the results at 250 Hz are such as /b/, /m/) are audible; however,
bone conduction (BC) thresholds can be actually within normal limits for an speech sounds such as /sh/, /s/, /f/, and /
represented by either < (right ear) or > adult. However, at 500 Hz this indivi- th/ would not be audible.
(left ear). dual displays a sensorineural hearing If the talker was not visible to the
The air and bone conduction loss of a mild degree. As the frequency listener and said: 1) Shin; 2) Sin; 3) Fin;
thresholds are all within 10 decibels of increases (remember this refers to going or 4) Thin, the listener would be able to
each other, thus, there is no significant up higher on the piano scale), the hear the /n/ sound for each word uttered
conductive component present. The hearing continues to decrease with the but none of the initial consonants. The
observant reader might see that only poorest thresholds occurring at 8000 Hz listener would know that someone uttered
the right BC thresholds were obtained. and is of a moderately severe nature. a word but would not hear all of the
When both ear’s AC thresholds are All sounds falling below the thres- speech sounds. He or she would know
similar and the BC thresholds are within hold line (i.e., louder than the thresholds that a person was speaking; however,
10 dB of either AC threshold at any observed at all of the frequencies) are speech would not be clear and would
sound as if the talker was mumbling.
Consequently, if the same talker was
to face the individual and repeat these
same four words but without voice (i.e.,
the listener would be engaging solely in
speechreading), the listener would likely
be able to identify each of these words
correctly. Fortuitously, some of the speech
sounds (such as the initial consonants
Figure 4. Transmission of for these four words) that are the hardest
sounds via air conduction to hear are the easiest to speechread. It is
versus bone conduction
audiometry continued on page 40
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Audiogram cont. from page 39
for this reason that when the talker does
not face an individual with a hearing loss
or is in another room, it often becomes
significantly more difficult for the person
with hearing loss to hear/understand.
The example presented here is some-
what of an oversimplification as there are
many speech sounds that are not readily
visible via speechreading; in addition,
in everyday discourse the talker often
presents information fairly quickly. This
example, however, does show the benefit
of combining both speechreading and
hearing by someone with a hearing loss,
or even by normal hearing individuals
when there is much noise present, such
as at a party or in a noisy restaurant. Figure 6. Audiometric results for an individual with a bilateral conductive hearing loss

Figure 5—Speech Sounds /ee/, the listener would only be able to and arise from the corresponding test ear.
as Bands of Energy hear the first energy band of /ee/ located A conductive hearing loss is said to be
Figure 5 also highlights another at 300 Hz. Since the first energy band for present when there is a difference of at
phenomenon that I’d like to share with both the /oo/ and /ee/ sounds are located least 15 decibels between the air and
you. Speech sounds do not occur at one at approximately the same frequency, bone conduction thresholds.
frequency, though placing speech sound this individual might actually perceive For this individual, the greatest
symbols on the audiogram might suggest the /oo/ sound. This is one of many conductive hearing loss is present in the
this. In fact, speech sounds consist of examples as to why an individual, even right ear at 250 to 1000 Hz with an air
bands of energy. In this figure, I have when they are able to hear others, might bone gap (i.e., the difference between air
chosen to display the two energy bands not accurately perceive what has been and bone conduction thresholds) being
for the speech sounds /oo/ and /ee/. For presented. as great as 45 decibels at 500 Hz. This
the /oo/ sound one band is centered at is an individual whom the audiologist
300 Hz with the other band at 1000 Figure 6—Results would refer to an otolaryngologist (ear,
Hz, while for the /ee/ sound one band is • The left ear exhibits a mild conductive nose and throat doctor). The hope would
centered at 300 Hz with the other band hearing loss (250 to 1000 Hz) rising be that medical intervention could
at approximately 2700 Hz. to normal hearing from 2000 to decrease this air bone gap and allow the
The parallel lines for the /ee/ sound 8000 Hz. individual to hear at his or her potential,
that extend from approximately 1500 • The right ear reveals a moderate (250 that is, exhibit air conduction thresholds
Hz (the average frequency for the second to 1000 Hz) rising to a mild (2000 consistent with the level of his or her
energy band for male adult speakers) Hz) conductive hearing loss and to bone conduction thresholds.
to 3300 Hz (average frequency for the normal hearing (4000 Hz) before
second energy band for female adult falling to a mild hearing loss at The Audiogram is Only
speakers). 8000 Hz. Part of the Picture
On one hand, if this individual was Hopefully, the information that has been
asked to listen to a female talker five In Figure 6 the bone conduction presented allows you to better under-
feet away without the talker’s face being thresholds are represented by [ (right ear) stand your audiogram and the implica-
visible, both energy bands of the /oo/ and ] (left ear). Both of these symbols tions of such in your everyday life
sound would be audible and the listener indicate that the bone conduction experiences. Please note that the pure
would easily indicate /oo/ if asked. thresholds were obtained by presenting tone audiogram only provides part of the
On the other hand, what do noise (i.e., masking) to the non-test ear, overall picture in that it only informs you
you think this individual would hear that is, in the ear opposite to where the as to which environmental and speech
and repeat back if the /ee/ sound was sounds are actually being presented. sounds might be audible.
presented? In most likelihood, this Masking is done when sounds might However, in everyday life we
listener would actually say /oo/. be heard by the non-test ear. By masking must not only hear the various speech
Why is that? In the absence of being the non-test ears, we ensure that the sounds but also rapidly decode the
able to hear the second energy band of bone conduction thresholds are accurate incoming speech signals, activate their
40 Hearing Loss Magazine Visit us at hearingloss.org and follow @HLAA on Twitter
corresponding representations from a So what?, please email me at larry. doctorate
long-term memory, hold/sequence the [email protected] in Speech and
information momentarily in short- Hearing Sciences
term memory, analyze/comprehend the Coming Next Issue… in 1994 from the
information, and then possibly respond. Understanding Your Test Results Graduate Center,
And often, this must be done in the In the next issue, I will provide an City University
presence of competing noise/talkers. overview of the various audiometric of New York.
The reason why I have brought forth the procedures that are typically conducted He has served as
latter information is to inform you that during a hearing evaluation. Similarly to an educational
audibility is only one factor (though an the audiogram, consumers often leave audiologist, vice
extremely important one) in being able the office setting without a complete president of clinical
to hear/understand others. understanding of the various test services in a large speech and hearing clinic,
Even if we make speech sounds procedures that have been administered and is presently an associate professor at
audible (such as via a hearing aid) it does and their purpose. My goal will be Gallaudet University in the Department
not mean that we have addressed all of to help you better understand: a) the of Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences.
the hearing related issues that you might valuable information that is provided by Dr. Medwetsky has published and presented
have. But, we must address the audibility each of these procedures, and, in turn, on many different topics with a special
issue before tackling other issues. b) your own results. HLM focus on the underlying speech processes and
deficits in both individuals with normal
So, Now What? Larry Medwetsky, Ph.D., graduated hearing and hearing loss.
If there are any points that you feel with a master’s degree in audiology from
after reading this article leaves you with McGill University, Montreal and earned a

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