Hearing loss is characterized by what condition?

Hearing loss is characterized primarily by the inability to hear the normal range of sounds. This condition affects an individual's capacity to perceive sounds across various frequencies and volumes, which can lead to challenges in everyday communication and interaction with the environment.

When someone experiences hearing loss, they may have a reduced ability to hear soft sounds and may not be able to perceive higher frequencies, which are critical for understanding speech. The total range of hearing encompasses low, medium, and high sounds, and if someone is unable to hear within this normal range, it signifies the presence of hearing loss.

While other aspects such as difficulty in understanding spoken language or increased sensitivity to loud noises can accompany hearing impairments, they are more related to the social and functional consequences of hearing loss rather than defining the condition itself. Thus, the core characterization of hearing loss fundamentally revolves around this inability to hear sounds that most people can normally perceive.