What is an audiogram?
An audiogram is the chart from a pure-tone hearing test. It shows the quietest sound you can hear (your hearing threshold) at different pitches.
Example audiogram
Made-up example showing a hearing loss that gets worse at higher pitches. Colours follow common practice; symbols follow British Society of Audiology guidance.
The two axes
- Across the top – frequency (Hz): pitch, from low (left) to high (right), like the keys of a piano. Tests usually cover 250 Hz to 8000 Hz.
- Down the side – hearing level (dB HL): how loud a sound had to be before you heard it. Lower down the chart = louder sound needed = more hearing loss.
The symbols
- O = right ear (air conduction, through headphones)
- X = left ear (air conduction)
- Air-conduction results are joined with solid lines; bone-conduction results (tested with a small vibrator behind the ear) are joined with broken lines and use different symbols.
- A small downward arrow means no response at the loudest level the machine could play.
The BSA notes that some software uses slightly different symbols, which is acceptable if the result is clear.
Degrees of hearing loss
Based on the average at 250–4000 Hz (BSA): mild 21–40, moderate 41–70, severe 71–95, profound over 95 dB HL. See how hearing works.
The "speech banana"
Some audiology services draw a banana-shaped area on the audiogram showing roughly where everyday speech sounds fall. If your results sit below parts of that area, you may miss some speech sounds. NHS audiology services use speech banana charts to help explain results — ask us if you would like yours explained.
Ask the clinic
Questions about your own hearing? Ask us at your next appointment.
Sources
- British Society of Audiology: Pure-tone audiometry recommended procedure (2018)
- University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust: Speech banana chart
- NIDCD (US National Institutes of Health): How do we hear?
Checked October 2026. If anything here differs from what your clinician tells you, follow your clinician.