Hearing Test Results Explained: What Your Audiogram Is Really Telling You

A hearing test can feel overwhelming once you’re home, staring at a graph full of symbols and numbers. In this episode of the Hearing Wellness Journey Podcast, Dr. Dawn Heiman, Dr. Emily Johnson, and Lindsey Doherty walk through how to read a hearing test step by step, using on-screen visuals and live screen sharing to make everything easier to understand.

Important note: This episode frequently references visuals, including a sample audiogram. If you’re listening on audio only, watching the YouTube video will significantly improve understanding.

Click here to watch the podcast:

How to Read a Hearing Test Graph (Audiogram Basics)

Using a shared audiogram on screen, the doctors explain how hearing tests measure volume (decibels) on the vertical axis and pitch (frequency) on the horizontal axis. Low pitches sit on the left, high pitches on the right. Red circles represent the right ear, and blue Xs represent the left ear—details that are much easier to follow visually during the screen share.

Dr. Heiman uses a “swimming pool” analogy to explain hearing loss severity: the shallow end represents easier listening, while deeper areas require more effort just to keep your head above water.

Why Hearing Loss Isn’t About Percentages

Many patients leave thinking they have “80% hearing” in one ear or “30% hearing” in the other. This episode clarifies why hearing tests don’t work that way. Instead, audiologists evaluate patterns—where hearing drops off, which sounds are missing, and how that impacts clarity, not just loudness.

Speech Testing and Listening Effort

A major visual moment in the episode shows how speech testing works differently from tone testing. Word recognition scores measure how well the brain understands speech when it’s loud enough, not how people talk in real life.

Dr. Johnson explains why people often say, “I can hear you, but I can’t understand you.” Dr. Heiman highlights how relying on context, facial cues, and guessing increases listening effort, which can be mentally exhausting over time—something many people recognized during widespread mask use.

Why Audiologists Look at the Whole Puzzle

Using visuals, the hosts show how air conduction and bone conduction results reveal whether hearing loss is sensorineural, conductive, or mixed. Temporary issues like earwax or fluid can dramatically change results, which is why professional interpretation matters.

Every hearing test tells a story—but only when it’s explained in context, with your lifestyle and communication needs in mind.

To see the video edition of this episode with closed captioning, please go to 👉 Hearing Wellness Journey Podcast: https://hearingwellnessjourney.com/podcast/