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12/18/2009 1:41:51 PM
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hearing_aid_guru
Posts 25
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Hearing Loss - Frequency and Hz Explained
Gradual hearing loss that occurs as you age is called presbycusis and it is common, so you are not alone. According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated one-third of Americans between the ages of 65 and 75 and close to one-half of those older than 75 have some degree of hearing loss.
Doctors believe that heredity and chronic exposure to loud noises are the main factors that contribute to hearing loss over time. Other factors, such as earwax blockage, can prevent your ears from conducting sounds as well as they should.
You can't reverse hearing loss. However, you don't have to live in a world of quieter, less distinct sounds. You and your doctor or hearing specialist can take steps to improve what you hear.
In order to see if you have a hearing loss you should get tested. When you look at the test (Called an audiogram) Frequency (Hz) runs along the bottom of the Audiogram - Middle 'C' on the piano is about 500 (512Hz) and each next point in the audiogram is the next C (nearly) above that up the right hand side of the piano.
The dB - decibel scale on the left hand side indicates the level of hearing loss in terms of the power of sound needed for the ear to hear it. The higher the number or farther 'down' the chart you are, the worse the loss. There are several dB scales for sound, depending on how and what you are measuring: this one is dB HL (Hearing Loss).
The 'Severity' of a loss is a more subjective, broadly speaking your moderate, moderate/severe assessment is accurate, but it would differ enormously if you were a Nursery teacher, worked on in a share dealing 'pit' or were a hermit with only occasional need to interact with the outside world.
What constitutes a hearing loss?
Here is the chart in Decibels:
Normal -10 to 15
Slight 16 to 25
Mild 26 to 40
Moderate 41 to 55
Moderately severe 56 to 70
Severe 71 to 90
Profound 91+
Hope this helps!
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