Sound is measured in two ways: Decibels and Frequencies. Decibels (dB) refer to how loud or soft a sound is, or its intensity. A person with normal hearing can typically hear sounds from 0 to 140 dB. Someone with mild hearing loss is unable to hear sounds below 30 or 40 decibels, while a person with moderate hearing loss will miss sounds below 50-70 decibels. Since a lot of speech occurs within this decibel range, a person with moderate hearing loss may have trouble hearing (and comprehending) conversations, especially amid background noise. Please go to our website for information about decibels and hearing loss.