What Is The Hearing Number?

The Hearing Number tells you the softest speech sound you can hear in each ear. It is known clinically as the 4-frequency pure tone average.

The Hearing Number simply tells you the softest speech sound you can hear. You have two Hearing Numbers: one for your right ear and one for your left ear. And they can be as low as -10 and as high as 85 decibels (dB) or more. The higher your Hearing Numbers are, the harder it will be to hear and communicate in noisy places.

The Hearing Number is also known as the 4-frequency pure tone average, or PTA4. The PTA4 is one of many ways that hearing care professionals measure hearing. You may have heard hearing loss described as mild, moderate, or severe. The PTA4 is used to define those broad categories too.

• Mild, which is a Hearing Number of 20 to 34
• Moderate, which is a Hearing Number of 35 to 49
• Moderately severe, which is a Hearing Number of 50 to 64
• Severe, which is a Hearing Number of 65 to 79