Acceptable Noise Level Testing
The Acceptable Noise Level (ANL) is the highest level of background noise an individual is willing to tolerate when trying to listen to running speech. We all have an innate natural ability to understand speech in the presence of background noise; some are able to focus on speech despite background noise, while others (especially those with hearing loss) lose this listening skill over time.
At Hearing Evaluation Services (HES), we use ANL Testing as a supplemental test to predict whether or not a patient will be a successful hearing aid user by determining how well the individual tolerates background noise when speech is present. There is a difference between hearing ability and tolerance to background noise. Research shows a person with a higher tolerance for background noise is more likely to be a successful hearing aid user. Clinical studies have found an 85% accuracy of ANL testing.
HES stays abreast with advancements in hearing aid technology and other assistive listening devices, some of which offer solutions to patients who have difficulty tolerating background noise. ANL test results help us find a hearing solution that accommodates the patient’s individual needs across all listening scenarios. Visit Hearing Aids to learn more about HES’s available hearing technologies Assistive Listening Device options.