Audiogram and Other Hearing Test Results

[Syb]

Hi!

I don't know if anyone could help clarify something for me please. I'm little confused about my new audiogram, specifically the little Ls at the bottom.

We did a LDL test to verify whether I had hyperacusis or not (my tinnitus is somewhat reactive and I hear some distortions). Is this what it is?

The report also says I have slight recruitment... but I feel like she possibly forgot to explain how this applies to my situation. Does that refer to the fact that I'm easily startled by louder sounds?

Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[HeavyMantra]

Thanks for the reply!

I was really wondering if anyone had come across this kind of audiogram before. I have a low tone, around 900 Hz in my left ear that came on suddenly around 4 months ago. No fluid in ear but I have had a lot of mucus from my nose that I can't seem to clear. This led me to get my hearing test and this was the result.

I'm 33, can't think of any instances where I could have damaged my ears and the audiologist couldn't give me a definitive reason for the result and resulting tinnitus, other than he didn't think it was NIHL but that ETD could be the culprit.

Next stop an ENT?

Hi again,

Have you found out anything more? Do you have a confirmed ETD diagnosis?

 

[corza000]

Could I please have help with my audiogram?

I got this done a year ago by an audiologist. I only just got into my ENT who read through it. He was quite fast in the way he talked and I was overwhelmed and anxious so I missed key bits!

He said some things about the audiogram showing that the right ear has nerve cell deafness where it dips but the left ear doesn't. He said the the nerve cell deafness in the left ear may just be to the same level of the right ear. And that the added loss on the audiogram may be, I think he said conductive? He looked in my ears and said something about the Eustachian tube in the left ear too. He told me to use Nasonex to support/fix the Eustachian tube in the left ear.

View attachment 43095

I'm sorry to bring this up again. Since discovering I possibly have conductive hearing loss as well as SNHL my stress has spiralled. It's taken over my life. At least before I put my faith into regenerative medicine such as FX-322 and forgot about it (at least to some extent). Now that there is the possibility of conductive hearing loss I feel I no longer have that luxury.

I went to the ENT and he is suggesting a septoplasty because I have some deviation in my left septum. I feel like this is going down the wrong track. I don't see much link between tinnitus and deviated septum. He said it would at least help my sleep as I grind my teeth and wake up exhausted.

My next ENT visit isn't for a month.

I know that a large part of my hearing loss is noise induced. I was so stupid with earphones. I always wore them at full volume. After I bought some noise cancelling headphones to replace my Apple earphones my tinnitus started a few weeks after.

@FGG, @GregCA or anyone else that can help, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[FGG]

I'm sorry to bring this up again. Since discovering I possibly have conductive hearing loss as well as SNHL my stress has spiralled. It's taken over my life. At least before I put my faith into regenerative medicine such as FX-322 and forgot about it (at least to some extent). Now that there is the possibility of conductive hearing loss I feel I no longer have that luxury.

I went to the ENT and he is suggesting a septoplasty because I have some deviation in my left septum. I feel like this is going down the wrong track. I don't see much link between tinnitus and deviated septum. He said it would at least help my sleep as I grind my teeth and wake up exhausted.

My next ENT visit isn't for a month.

I know that a large part of my hearing loss is noise induced. I was so stupid with earphones. I always wore them at full volume. After I bought some noise cancelling headphones to replace my Apple earphones my tinnitus started a few weeks after.

@FGG, @GregCA or anyone else that can help, please let me know. Thanks.

I would honestly at least get a second opinion from an otologist (ENT sub-specialist focused just on ears, your ENT can refer you) before reaching for septoplasty. Better sleep would be nice but I'm not sure it's your core issue, personally.

And maybe they can address your audiogram findings better, too.

 

[corza000]

I would honestly at least get a second opinion from an otologist (ENT sub-specialist focused just on ears, your ENT can refer you) before reaching for septoplasty. Better sleep would be nice but I'm not sure it's your core issue, personally.

And maybe they can address your audiogram findings better, too.

Thanks FGG. This is my second ENT opinion. The first otolaryngologist said for the tinnitus get a hearing aid or deal with it. He also suggested a septoplasty but that was more for sleep. He didn't know about hearing regeneration. He said there probably won't be any hearing regeneration medicine in our lifetime. I'm 32!

The second ENT wants to start with the nose and work back from there. Whenever I mentioned ears he said no you are jumping too far ahead. He is known for giving out septoplasties like candy.

I just feel I am wasting time and money. These ENTs are so expensive. They are quite dismissive and they are leaving more questions than answers.

I don't believe my hearing has got any worse over the last couple of years but my tinnitus and stress has. These appointments are adding to my stress.

I'll look into an otologist but I'd have to travel for it.

Any other thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

[FGG]

Thanks FGG. This is my second ENT opinion. The first otolaryngologist said for the tinnitus get a hearing aid or deal with it. He also suggested a septoplasty but that was more for sleep. He didn't know about hearing regeneration. He said there probably won't be any hearing regeneration medicine in our lifetime. I'm 32!

The second ENT wants to start with the nose and work back from there. Whenever I mentioned ears he said no you are jumping too far ahead. He is known for giving out septoplasties like candy.

I just feel I am wasting time and money. These ENTs are so expensive. They are quite dismissive and they are leaving more questions than answers.

I don't believe my hearing has got any worse over the last couple of years but my tinnitus and stress has. These appointments are adding to my stress.

I'll look into an otologist but I'd have to travel for it.

Any other thoughts would be much appreciated.

Imo, a lot of ENTs concentrate on sinuses because they understand it better. I personally think it's worth the time and money to see an otologist to try to get a better diagnosis. Even mid sized cities should have at least one Otologist. Are you in a very rural area?

 

[corza000]

Even mid sized cities should have at least one Otologist. Are you in a very rural area?

Yes fairly rural but I could travel. The closest large city with otologists is a couple of hours away so I could make the trip. I appreciate the support.

I'm hopeful that the air bone gap was just the error that you referred to in previous posts. And the added tinnitus is stress and blood pressure related. A self fulfilling issue. I really need to break this stress cycle.

 

[Pelham]

Have you found out anything more? Do you have a confirmed ETD diagnosis?

I'm still waiting to see an ENT unfortunately. I have been told by an Audiologist that the negative pressure in the middle ear points to ETD but no solid diagnosis.

Have you had a chance to mention it in your class at all?

 

[HeavyMantra]

I'm still waiting to see an ENT unfortunately. I have been told by an Audiologist that the negative pressure in the middle ear points to ETD but no solid diagnosis.

Have you had a chance to mention it in your class at all?

Yes, negative pressure would indicate ETD.

The audiogram you took is pretty lacking, I don't know why they didn't measure bone conduction in both ears since if we had that info, it would be much easier to draw conclusions about what causes your hearing loss.

If you have hearing loss because of ETD, it's usually caused by fluid buildup (the ET drains the middle ear of fluids when functioning normally). If left untreated for a long time, these fluids can become infected and cause more serious problems in some cases. Don't wait to see an ENT if you can help it. But don't be too alarmed either.

 

[Ylva]

Yes, negative pressure would indicate ETD.

I have this as well, but they say they cannot treat ETD, except for the nasal spray they described. Is there any information I can look up about this?

 

[HeavyMantra]

I have this as well, but they say they cannot treat ETD, except for the nasal spray they described. Is there any information I can look up about this?

I only have basic knowledge but the Eustachian Tube is usually blocked from inflammation caused by allergies, viruses, chronic sinusitis or gunk from these conditions. Very rarely do people have a dysfunction in the muscles that open the Eustachian Tube, but chronic inflammation/dysfunction is possible. I unfortunately don't know what can be done about it, but I personally would not accept "nothing can be done" for an answer. I do know of a procedure which forces the Eustachian Tube open with a balloon-type instrument inserted through the nose, but I don't know in which situations this procedure is considered.

 

[ColoredCat]

Here is mine (as a reference, I am 21 years old and my tinnitus occurred after getting assaulted). My tinnitus is constant and seems to be around 14-16 kHz (from my own testing) in my left ear only (blue graph).

 

[Eyyooo]

Right ear:
125 Hz: 15 dB
250 Hz: 15 dB
500 Hz: 10 dB
1000 Hz: 10 dB
1500 Hz: 0 dB
2000 Hz: 10 dB
3000 Hz: 0 dB
4000 Hz: 0 dB
6000 Hz: 15 dB
8000 Hz: 15 dB

Left ear:
125 Hz: 20 dB
250 Hz: 15 dB
500 Hz: 10 dB
1000 Hz: 10 dB
1500 Hz: 0 dB
2000 Hz: 10 dB
3000 Hz: 0 dB
4000 Hz: -10 dB
6000 Hz: 30 dB (I think my tinnitus is around this tone, in this ear)
8000 Hz: 10 dB

So what do you think?

I don't like the dips down to 15/20 dB I have to say. It feels like I can't lose more hearing, before it really starts to become a problem. I think I also hear speech a little worse after the acoustic trauma, but that could be my imagination.

 

[Ylva]

About the same audiogram as 5 years ago when I was 20. My ENT said the right eardrum was collapsed inward a bit (decreased pressure). Does that explain the air-bone gap?

Also, I guess my tinnitus got worse (7 weeks in now) from increased hidden hearing loss?

I'm still trying to find an explanation, even though I know I won't really find one.

 

[Jim Vasilakis]

Hello everyone. I just got my latest audiogram and it showed a -5 dB drop in the 4 kHz in the left ear. The thing that troubles me is that I did an audiogram at a different doctor two months ago and it showed no hearing loss in the 4 kHz range. My latest doctor believes my tinnitus is due to that 5 dB drop. He also says there is no point in doing an extended audiogram since my 8 kHz range doesn't show any drop so it's unlikely there will be drops in the upper frequencies. What's your opinion?

Here are the audiograms:

 

[Street Novelist]

@Diesel, @Contrast, and others:

Could someone tell me if I have any conductive hearing loss? And is my loss mild or moderate?

Thanks.

 

[guenguer]

I am 66 and have been diagnosed with "age-related" high frequency hearing loss. The medical term is presbycusis. Attached is my audiogram.

I would kill for some of your audiograms, which show pretty minor hearing loss. My high frequencies are pretty much gone. Weird thing is that I never even noticed that I had a hearing problem until my tinnitus started last Labor Day weekend. I have never had any problems hearing conversations in loud restaurants, or hearing the TV on low settings... no problems at all. And then boom. The ENT speculated a virus, but said viruses usually affect one ear a lot more than the other. My hearing loss is very symmetric.

View attachment 43083

Looks like mine in both ears, but I'm 20 years younger

And yes, I would kill for most of the audiograms here too.

 

[HeavyMantra]

@Diesel, @Contrast, and others:

Could someone tell me if I have any conductive hearing loss? And is my loss mild or moderate?

View attachment 48357

Thanks.

Your audiologist should be able to tell you this, but if the bone conduction thresholds and air conduction thresholds line up, that points to sensorineural hearing loss, not conductive.

 

[Brian Newman]

I just want to put this up here that audiograms are not 100% accurate. Anybody who's curious to see how bad I am read my story. Severe noxacusis and pretty bad tinnitus with distortions and a perilymph fistula. Yet audiograms say I'm ok! Check it out. If anybody can beat this, I'll give you $100.

 

[kingsfan]

I just want to put this up here that audiograms are not 100% accurate. Anybody who's curious to see how bad I am read my story. Severe noxacusis and pretty bad tinnitus with distortions and a perilymph fistula. Yet audiograms say I'm ok! Check it out. If anybody can beat this, I'll give you $100.

View attachment 48866

View attachment 48867

View attachment 48868

Maybe your hearing is so good that it's bad. Like the stack overflow issue with Ghandi in the game Civilization where he becomes so good that he turns aggressively evil.

 

[Brian Newman]

Maybe your hearing is so good that it's bad. Like the stack overflow issue with Ghandi in the game Civilization where he becomes so good that he turns aggressively evil.

Lmao yeah pretty much. Before all the damage my hearing was between 10 and 20 dB loss. Everything reversed. Pretty crazy.

 

[Thomas_83]

Over 40 years old and a DJ for many years. And tinnitus in ears/head.

This is my new hearing test. I can hear up to 17 kHz to if i play a tone tone on lowest vol on my phone. So weird that I got tinnitus.

 

[Juan]

Over 40 years old and a DJ for many years. And tinnitus in ears/head.

This is my new hearing test. I can hear up to 17 kHz to if i play a tone tone on lowest vol on my phone. So weird that I got tinnitus.

View attachment 49189

Very good audiogram considering your background as a DJ.

 

[InfiniteLoop]

One of the main metrics is the tinnitus frequency. This is an obvious indication of the hearing loss or damage location. However, surprisingly almost no one talks about that important clue.

I have tinnitus only in my left ear. The tinnitus frequency is ~10 kHz. My left ear high frequency audiogram is asymmetric compared to the right ear, and my hearing loss is worse than 25 dB beyond 7 kHz in the left ear.

At the time of tinnitus onset 8 years ago, my audiogram was normal in both ears up to 8 kHz, but I already had the asymmetry and dip in the very high frequencies for my left ear.

In my case, I have no doubt that the left ear damage and the tinnitus are related.

 

[Donata]

Hi everyone,

Can you help me interpret / read my audiogram? I wonder if I've got noise-induced hearing damage?

My ENT says it's not noise-induced but that it's ETD. He's talking about an air bone gap, and the difference between bone conduction and air conduction. He also says my eardrums are retracted and something in my nose is inflamed.

Just want to make sure we're not overlooking any noise-induced damage, as I can see a dip at 4 kHz for the air conduction? Also, the bone conduction slightly dips after 6 kHz? Could this still be damage from noise?

My tinnitus is matched at 6700 Hz 5 dB.

Looking forward to hearing what you make of this audiogram. Thanks so much!

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

My tinnitus is matched at 6700 Hz 5 dB

Wait so your tinnitus is 5 dB? Lol.

 

[Juan]

Hi everyone,

Can you help me interpret / read my audiogram? I wonder if I've got noise-induced hearing damage?

My ENT says it's not noise-induced but that it's ETD. He's talking about an air bone gap, and the difference between bone conduction and air conduction. He also says my eardrums are retracted and something in my nose is inflamed.

Just want to make sure we're not overlooking any noise-induced damage, as I can see a dip at 4 kHz for the air conduction? Also, the bone conduction slightly dips after 6 kHz? Could this still be damage from noise?

My tinnitus is matched at 6700 Hz 5 dB.

Looking forward to hearing what you make of this audiogram. Thanks so much!

View attachment 51262

Perfect audiogram, and there is no air bone gap there... Your ENT probably got his title on the lottery haha.

 

[Donata]

Perfect audiogram, and there is no air bone gap there... Your ENT probably got his title on the lottery haha.

Thanks @Juan. Lol. But if there's no air bone gap then why is there a difference of 15 dB - 20 dB for bone and air conduction between my middle ear and inner ear at 4 kHz? This difference also increased with 15 dB for my left ear. Below my audiogram from 2 months ago, where the air conduction is 15 dB higher at 4 kHz than two months later. But bone conduction stays the same. How can this be possible?

Wait so your tinnitus is 5 dB? Lol.

Yes according to the audiologist it is. What do you mean by that? It's not loud if that's what you mean, but it's still annoying

 

[Juan]

Thanks @Juan. Lol. But if there's no air bone gap then why is there a difference of 15 dB - 20 dB for bone and air conduction between my middle ear and inner ear at 4 kHz? This difference also increased with 15 dB for my left ear. Below my audiogram from 2 months ago, where the air conduction is 15 dB higher at 4 kHz than two months later. But bone conduction stays the same. How can this be possible?

Those differences are negligible. The decibel scale is logarithmic so there is a small difference between 5 dB and 20 dB but there is a huge difference between 100 dB and 102 dB.

A difference of up to 20 - 25 dB between audiograms (or between the ear and bone readings of audiograms) can be attributed to a blocked nose, a blocked throat, a cramp on the neck... to a number of things that make our hearing not exactly the same every day.

Actually just an otitis can alter hearing up to 30 dB for 2 months... so there is nothing in your audiogram that is abnormal or suggest damage. And if you look at the highest frequencies (8 kHz) they are at 10 or over 10 dB. It's very good hearing.

 

[GregCA]

Those differences are negligible. The decibel scale is logarithmic so there is a small difference between 5 dB and 20 dB but there is a huge difference between 100 dB and 102 dB.

I'm afraid that is not quite correct for the metric that matters. A 10 dB (or any dB) difference is perceived the same (in this case "twice as loud" for 10 dB) whether it is between 10 dB and 20 dB or 100 dB and 110 dB.

CDC: What Noises Cause Hearing Loss?

The raw power difference is indeed greater between 100 dB and 110 dB, but that is not what our perception cares about, because for our hearing... "it's all relative" (hence the logarithmic scale).

Now back to @Donata:

The audiogram does show a small ABG (Air-Bone-Gap) but it could be from a variety of reasons, perhaps unrelated to your body too. If I were in your shoes I'd do a hearing test somewhere else to rule out equipment bias. I would then do a trending to see if it persists across multiple months and whether it changes over time. Work with your doctor(s) to figure out a strategy here.

I suspect your doctor is unconvinced about noise damage because noise-induced losses generally show as sensorineural losses (Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Clinical Presentation)