Near Normal/ Borderline (21-25 dB)
- Hears almost everything well.
- May need to listen carefully in important situations.
- High-pitch sounds might be challenging.
Mild Hearing Loss (26-40 dB)
- Difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy environments.
- Can hear well in quiet settings with few speakers.
- Trouble with soft-spoken individuals, like women and children.
Moderate Hearing Loss (41-55 dB)
- Listening requires effort; sustained attention is challenging.
- Trouble understanding speech even in ideal conditions.
- Needs to be close to the speaker; substantial difficulty in noisy environments.
- Often needs repetition.
Moderately Severe Hearing Loss (56-70 dB)
- Can hear only when the speaker is within 3-5 feet.
- Great difficulty communicating in most situations.
- May seem inattentive.
Severe Hearing Loss (71-90 dB)
- Identifies environmental noises but has difficulty with speech.
- Can distinguish vowels but not consonants.
- Might appear to ignore communication.
- Can hear loud voices from very close range.
Profound Hearing Loss (91 dB and above)
- Considered deaf; hears only very loud sounds.
- Does not use hearing as a primary means of communication.
