Why does an audiogram alone not adequately reflect a patient's communication difficulties?

An audiogram is a graphical representation of an individual’s hearing thresholds at various frequencies, providing valuable information about the degree and type of hearing loss. However, it is limited because it solely indicates how well a person can hear pure tones in a controlled environment, without taking into account how this hearing ability translates into everyday communication situations.

Communication difficulties extend beyond hearing thresholds; they encompass factors such as speech understanding, auditory processing, background noise, and the ability to follow conversations in social contexts. As a result, one might have similar hearing thresholds as another individual yet experience vastly different levels of difficulty when communicating. The audiogram does not capture the complexity of real-world listening conditions or the impact of hearing loss on a person's social interactions, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. Thus, while the audiogram is an important diagnostic tool, it cannot provide a complete picture of how hearing loss affects communication.