What is the normal value for hearing tests?

Hearing health, like overall physical health, requires regular assessment. The ears play a vital role in our daily lives and work. Hearing loss can cause numerous difficulties—such as impaired communication and reduced mobility—and may even lead to safety hazards and psychological disorders. Normal hearing is generally defined as thresholds of 25 decibels (dB) or better across frequencies. Clinically, the frequency range of 500–2000 Hz is referred to as the “speech frequency range.”

The frequencies of 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz are especially critical for everyday speech communication; thus, these three frequencies warrant particular attention. Thresholds exceeding 25 dB at these frequencies may already begin to impair daily communication. Hearing loss is typically categorized as follows: mild (25–40 dB), moderate (40–60 dB), severe (60–80 dB), and profound (above 80 dB). Therefore, first, hearing thresholds within 25 dB are considered normal and generally require no intervention. Second, some older adults experience high-frequency hearing loss worse than 25 dB.

However, if hearing loss in older adults occurs predominantly above 2000 Hz, it usually has minimal impact on everyday speech understanding and therefore does not require special attention. In contrast, hearing thresholds exceeding 25 dB within the 500–2000 Hz range should be taken seriously and warrant further evaluation.