According to a study on the prevalence of hearing loss severity in the U.S. published in the American Journal of Public Health, “An estimated 25.4 million, 10.7 million, 1.8 million, and 0.4 million U.S. residents aged 12 years or older, respectively, have mild, moderate, severe, and profound better-ear hearing loss.” In this post, we review how hearing loss is classified and what this means for you.
Normal Hearing
If you have normal hearing, it means you can hear sounds as quiet as 0 to 15 dB. This is about the volume of normal breathing and rustling leaves.
Slight Hearing Loss
Those with slight hearing loss miss sounds between 16 and 25 dB, which is roughly the volume of a whisper. In most cases, slight hearing loss is not treated with hearing aids.
Mild Hearing Loss
People with mild hearing loss have trouble with sounds between 26 and 40 dB. This population tends to experience difficulty hearing children and people who are soft-spoken. They may need to ask people to repeat themselves, as it’s common for people with this degree of hearing loss to have trouble distinguishing between certain consonant sounds. People with mild hearing loss often benefit from use of hearing aids.
Moderate Hearing Loss
Moderate hearing loss can means trouble hearing sounds at 41 to 55 dB. Those with moderate hearing loss may have trouble with vowel sounds in addition to consonant sounds, and many people with this degree say they can hear but not understand what is said. Hearing aids are the gold standard of treatment for people with moderate hearing loss.
Moderately Severe Hearing Loss
Moderately severe hearing loss means trouble hearing sounds at 56 to 70 dB. Those with moderately severe hearing loss may have trouble hearing any speech sounds without amplification. People with moderately severe hearing loss benefit from wearing hearing aids.
Severe Hearing Loss
If you have severe hearing loss, it means you can’t hear sounds between 71 and 90 dB. You won’t be able to hear speech, even if someone is raising their voice, and you probably miss a lot of other sounds. You may benefit from a powerful hearing aid, but cochlear implants are a more appropriate treatment option in many cases.
Profound Hearing Loss
Profound hearing loss describes inability to hear sounds even as loud as 91 dB. Without amplification, someone with profound hearing loss won’t be able to hear even very loud sounds like an airplane takeoff at Athens-Ben Epps Airport. Cochlear implants are the only option powerful enough to provide hearing. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call ENT of Athens today.