Degrees of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is measured in decibels (dB) — the unit of sound intensity.
The more decibels lost, the more severe the hearing loss.

Hearing loss typically falls into these five categories:

Degree of Hearing Loss	Hearing Level (dB)	Description	Common Experience
Normal Hearing	0–25 dB	Can hear soft sounds like whispering and rustling leaves.	No difficulty hearing everyday speech.
Mild Hearing Loss	26–40 dB	May have trouble hearing soft sounds or conversations in noisy environments.	Often miss quiet or distant speech; might say “What?” often.
Moderate Hearing Loss	41–55 dB	Difficulty hearing regular conversation, especially in group settings.	May need hearing aids; lipreading becomes helpful.
Moderately Severe Hearing Loss	56–70 dB	Struggles to hear normal conversation without amplification.	Without hearing aids, conversation is very hard to follow.
Severe Hearing Loss	71–90 dB	Cannot hear speech unless it is very loud; may rely heavily on visual communication.	Likely uses hearing aids or cochlear implants; ASL or other sign systems often used.
Profound Hearing Loss	91+ dB	May hear only very loud sounds or none at all.	Often identifies as Deaf; visual communication (like ASL) is primary.

More Details:

1. Mild Hearing Loss (26–40 dB)

• May not notice unless in noisy environments.
• High-pitched sounds like “s,” “th,” or “f” may be hard to hear.
• Children with mild hearing loss may miss 25–50% of speech sounds.

2. Moderate Hearing Loss (41–55 dB)

• Conversations at normal volume become difficult to follow.
• Hearing aids are often recommended.
• Background noise makes understanding especially hard.

3. Moderately Severe Hearing Loss (56–70 dB)

• Regular speech is almost impossible to understand without amplification.
• Group conversations are very difficult.
• Visual cues like lipreading or sign language may become important.

4. Severe Hearing Loss (71–90 dB)

• Shouting might be barely heard.
• Communication often requires hearing aids, visual support (lipreading, sign), or both.
• Some people at this level shift fully to visual communication (like ASL).

5. Profound Hearing Loss (91 dB or greater)

• Sounds must be very loud to be perceived, if at all.
• Speech comprehension without visual support is extremely limited.
• Many people at this level grow up using ASL and identify culturally as Deaf.

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Quick Visual:

cssCopyEditNormal Hearing        0–25 dB
Mild Hearing Loss    26–40 dB
Moderate Loss        41–55 dB
Moderately Severe    56–70 dB
Severe Loss          71–90 dB
Profound Loss        91+ dB

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Important Notes:

• Type of Hearing Loss matters too: it can be sensorineural (inner ear or nerve problem), conductive(outer/middle ear problem), or mixed (both).
• Age of onset (whether someone is born Deaf or becomes Deaf later) greatly affects language development and communication style.
• Communication methods vary based on degree of hearing loss: some prefer spoken English with technology (hearing aids, cochlear implants), while others prefer ASL or other signed systems.

Degrees of Hearing Loss: A Quick Guide

Hearing loss is measured in decibels (dB) and categorized by severity. Here is a simple overview:

Degree of Hearing Loss	Hearing Level (dB)	Description	Common Experience
Normal Hearing	0–25 dB	Can hear very soft sounds.	No difficulty with everyday speech.
Mild Hearing Loss	26–40 dB	Trouble hearing soft speech and distant sounds.	Might miss words in noisy environments.
Moderate Hearing Loss	41–55 dB	Difficulty hearing regular conversations.	Needs hearing aids; may rely on lipreading.
Moderately Severe Hearing Loss	56–70 dB	Cannot hear conversations without amplification.	Lipreading and hearing aids often necessary.
Severe Hearing Loss	71–90 dB	Speech is not understood without amplification.	May rely heavily on visual communication.
Profound Hearing Loss	91+ dB	Little to no hearing; may perceive only very loud sounds.	Primary communication often visual (e.g., ASL).

Key Points:

• Mild to Moderate Loss: May use hearing aids; spoken language still accessible with support.
• Severe to Profound Loss: Visual communication like American Sign Language (ASL) becomes essential.
• Type and Age of Onset: Affect language development and communication preferences.

Visual Summary:

Normal Hearing        0–25 dB
Mild Hearing Loss    26–40 dB
Moderate Loss        41–55 dB
Moderately Severe    56–70 dB
Severe Loss          71–90 dB
Profound Loss        91+ dB

This guide provides a snapshot of how hearing loss impacts communication and why communication methods vary among Deaf and hard of hearing individuals.