Audiogram interpretation
Fri, Oct 16, 2026 · Week 8 · Genetics of Disease (Medical Interventions)
Today's goal: Read an audiogram to describe the type and severity of a patient's hearing loss using decibel and frequency language.
What a finished product looks like
This is a model of the work you should turn in today. Use it to check your own: match the structure and the level of detail, do not copy it. Your data and wording should be your own.
I labeled the axes: frequency in hertz across the top (low pitch on the left, high pitch on the right) and loudness in decibels down the side (soft at the top, loud at the bottom). I plotted Patient A's right-ear thresholds from the data table.
What the plot shows: Patient A hears low frequencies at about 30 dB but needs high frequencies (2000 to 4000 Hz) turned up to 60 to 65 dB before hearing them. That high-frequency region overlaps part of the speech banana, so this patient would miss soft consonant sounds like s, f, and th while still hearing vowels.
Classification: I classify this as a moderate hearing loss, because the worst thresholds fall in the 41 to 55 dB range, with evidence that the 2000 to 4000 Hz thresholds sit at 55 to 65 dB.
| Frequency (Hz) | Right-ear threshold (dB HL) |
|---|---|
| 250 | 30 |
| 500 | 35 |
| 1000 | 45 |
| 2000 | 55 |
| 4000 | 65 |
Also due today: Submit your annotated audiogram and classification to the course shell.
WebXam problem for today's skill
One exam-style question that uses exactly what you practiced today. Try it before you reveal the answer, then read why each choice is right or wrong.
| Severity | dB HL range |
|---|---|
| Normal | under 25 |
| Mild | 26-40 |
| Moderate | 41-55 |
| Severe | 56-70 |
| Profound | over 70 |
Tap an answer to see the full explanation. Nothing is recorded or graded.