Flat Hearing Loss
Flat hearing loss describes an audiogram pattern in which hearing thresholds are relatively similar across all tested frequencies, rather than showing more pronounced loss at specific pitches. The loss is described as "flat" because the line connecting the plotted thresholds on the audiogram appears level rather than sloping upward or downward toward one end of the frequency range.
Flat hearing loss can range from mild to profound in degree. It can result from conditions such as Meniere's disease, autoimmune inner ear disease, genetic factors, or ototoxic medications (drugs that can damage the cochlea). The experience of flat hearing loss differs from high-frequency hearing loss. People with flat hearing loss often describe sounds as uniformly quieter rather than specifically muffled or lacking in speech clarity.
Hearing aid programming for flat hearing loss requires a different amplification approach than for sloping or ski-slope configurations, as the gain must be distributed relatively evenly across the frequency range.
