Unaided Threshold
The softest sound level detectable by a patient without any hearing device, establishing the baseline audiometric measure.
Full Definition
Unaided thresholds represent the patient's hearing sensitivity in the absence of amplification and serve as the reference against which aided performance is compared. They are the standard output of conventional pure-tone and speech audiometry and form the basis for hearing aid prescription formulae. In editorial contexts, 'unaided' is correctly hyphenated as a modifier ('unaided-threshold levels') but stands alone as a noun head. The term should not be conflated with 'threshold shift,' which refers to a change in unaided threshold over time.
Usage
Usage note: Editors should verify that unaided and aided thresholds are clearly distinguished when both appear in the same report section.
In Context
- "Unaided thresholds revealed a moderate bilateral high-frequency hearing loss." — Diagnostic audiology report
- "The unaided threshold at 4000 Hz was 65 dB HL." — Hearing aid candidacy assessment