Audiogram Interpretation

Audiology and Audiograms explained

The study of hearing and the possible treatments for the related impairment all refer to Audiology. The audiologists are the ones responsible for professional hearing care and for hearing test leading. What's more, they can read and explain the audiograms, which are the hearing test results

Audiology

People who are qualified and trained in audiology are called audiologists and they are responsible for managing your hearing, providing you with the appropriate rehabilitation to help improve your personal and social interactions with the world of sound around you.

Research has shown that approximately 16% of the population are suffering from a significant hearing loss. Therefore, it is important to keep up to date with your hearing and to get in touch with your local audiologist if you are having any concerns. 

At Amplifon, we have over 65 years of knowledge and experience, specialising purely in hearing. We aim to go above and beyond to support our customers. You can find an expert audiologist in each of our clinics throughout the UK. Discover causes of hearing loss and find the best hearing loss treatment options for you.

Who is an audiologist?

An audiologist is a health care professional who can diagnose and treat hearing loss in adults as well as identify any other hearing related problems that may require attention. Other hearing related problems treated by audiologists include tinnitus, balance disorders and ear wax removal. They are also trained to prescribe and fit hearing aids and advise on any additional therapy. 

Amplifon audiologist services

Our team of licensed Audiologists are here to welcome you at any one of our clinics across the UK. We’ll listen closely to your concerns and take the time to understand situations and environments in which you find hearing most challenging. With access to state-of-the-art technology, we can ensure you are able to go about your daily life with the added benefit of clearer hearing. Audiologists are trained to provide a personalised service to customers, changing the way you listen to the world around you. There are many services in which our audiologists can provide:

Hearing Tests

Our friendly, expert audiologist will take the time to ask questions about your lifestyle and health history, to understand your personal hearing challenges and help determine the possible causes of your hearing loss. 

Next, we will use our state-of-the-art hearing test, to measure the quality of your hearing across different tones and we will also conduct a word recognition test both in quiet and noisy situations so we can have an in depth understanding of your hearing in real-life situations

Finally, your audiologist will run through your results and inform you of the degree of hearing loss, as well as offer recommendations as to what hearing aids are best suited to your needs.

If you do need hearing aids, we’ll even give you a free demonstration and FREE no obligation trial so you can experience better hearing in the comfort of your own home and environments that matter to you the most

Fitting your hearing aids

When your hearing aids are ready, you will be asked to attend a fitting appointment with your dedicated hearing specialist. All of our hearing aid ranges are custom made and come in a variety of colours and sizes to choose from. Whether you are looking for an over-the-ear solution or hearing aids that take the shape of your ear canal, we make sure to find that perfect solution for you!

Our audiologists will check that the hearing aids fit properly and provide you with the right level of amplification and clear speech understanding. They will then show you how to fit, clean, store and use them, as well as answering any questions you may have.

Support and aftercare

Your hearing changes throughout your life; regular appointments with your Audiologist are just as important as those with your optician or dentist. One of our audiologists will keep up you up to date with your hearing health on an annual basis, providing you with the support you need to experience a better quality of life. 

We provide a FREE Lifetime Aftercare programme to ensure you always stay in touch with the world around you.  

Aftercare may involve helping you plan and manage your hearing challenges through your devices. We are also on hand to provide help, advice or support whenever required. At every aftercare you attend, you will receive a full clean and service of the hearing aids you own, a free pack of batteries and we will also make any adjustments necessary to optimise the settings to your current hearing levels. 

Not only do we see you for annual check ups to keep your hearing aids in tip-top condition, we also are there for you at any point you need us throughout the year. We can provide free appointments to you all-year-round whenever you require a simple readjustment or have any concerns about your hearing health and hearing aid solutions. With up to 4 years warranty on your hearing aids, you can relax knowing that your hearing aids will always be in good hands. 

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What is an audiogram?

An audiogram is a graph that plots the results of your hearing test. During your hearing test, you will be asked to respond to sounds. Every time you respond the result is recorded and plotted on the graph.

An Audiogram is used to help identify what level of hearing you have compared against normal hearing capabilities. It has the ability to show the level at which sound becomes uncomfortably loud for you. This is called the 'uncomfortable loudness level' (ULL).

Audiogram interpretation: how to read it

The results of a hearing test are plotted on a chart called an audiogram. The audiogram is one part of your total hearing assessment and provides a useful picture of your hearing ability, it helps identify your hearing level compared to normal hearing capabilities, also showing the level at which sound becomes uncomfortably loud for you. 

During your hearing test, you will be asked to respond to sounds at different pitches and volumes. Every time you respond the result is recorded and plotted on the graph through a computer driven audiometer controlled by the audiologist.

The patient is asked to push a button when they hear a sound. The lowest level of sound heard at each pitch is plotted on the audiogram using a red circle for the right ear and a blue cross for left ear. The position of the symbols is compared to an agreed normal hearing level of 25dB across all pitches of sound. The further down the chart the results are plotted, the louder the sound had to be made.

By interpreting your results, our audiologist can understand the extent and nature of any loss measured and if any referable conditions exist. Your audiologist will measure:

  • Air conduction hearing – this measures the sound intensity heard through the outer, middle & inner ear
  • Bone conduction hearing - this is via a vibrating pad behind the pinna and measures the sound intensity heard through the inner ear only (different symbols are used on the audiogram for the bone conduction results)
  • The pattern & position of the air and bone conduction results for each ear can be interpreted by the audiologist to explain the extent, nature  and possible cause of any results that fall outside of the normal range.

The audiologist will interpret the results for each ear to determine the severity and nature of any loss that may be present. It is typical that a loss impacts on both ears symmetrically but often there can be asymmetry and varying levels. Your audiologist will compare the air and bone conduction results of each ear to see if there is asymmetry and if the loss is predominantly;

Sensorineural hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss

Mixed hearing loss

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