Which term describes hearing loss greater than 90 dB?

Which term describes hearing loss greater than 90 dB?

• A. Mild
• B. Moderate
• C. Severe
• D. Profound

Answer: (D)

The degrees of hearing loss are described by decibel thresholds, with specific ranges assigned to each category. When hearing thresholds exceed about 90 dB HL, the loss is classified as profound because the person cannot hear most sounds, including many speech sounds, even with substantial amplification. Mild and moderate describe much less severe losses, while severe spans roughly 71–90 dB. Therefore, crossing the 90 dB mark places the impairment in the profound category. In real life, people with profound loss often rely on visual communication or assistive technologies such as cochlear implants to perceive sound.

The degrees of hearing loss are described by decibel thresholds, with specific ranges assigned to each category. When hearing thresholds exceed about 90 dB HL, the loss is classified as profound because the person cannot hear most sounds, including many speech sounds, even with substantial amplification. Mild and moderate describe much less severe losses, while severe spans roughly 71–90 dB. Therefore, crossing the 90 dB mark places the impairment in the profound category. In real life, people with profound loss often rely on visual communication or assistive technologies such as cochlear implants to perceive sound.