3 Things to Expect from an Audiologist

If you have hearing loss, tinnitus or problems with balance, you will need to see an audiologist. While this may seem like a nerve-wracking or stressful time, you should know audiologist are incredibly helpful, professional and looking forward to treating any conditions you might have.

1. Audiologists are smart

To start with, audiologists are incredibly smart. They hold an advanced-level degree. Not only do they go to school for several years, they must also spend time working in a clinical setting before they get their degree. On top of that, they must pass a rigorous state-licensing exam. As if that isn’t enough, they must always keep learning. In order to keep their license, they must participate in continuing education. Audiologists never stop learning.

In school, audiologists must learn about anatomy, acoustical science, pharmacology, vestibular disorders, audiometry and how to use testing equipment and interpret results. Once they are in practice, they must keep up on medical advances, advances in testing equipment and new and improved hearing aids.

2. Audiologists are helpful

In addition to having a high level of knowledge, audiologists are also helpful when it comes to treating hearing loss, tinnitus and balance disorders.

Audiologists have the heart of a helper and healer. Not only do audiologists diagnose hearing loss, they help people with hearing loss get the most out of the hearing they have. They fit hearing aids, instruct on other assistive hearing devices and teach strategies for hearing better. Audiologists adjust, program, clean and repair hearing aids. Audiologists can also clean any impacted earwax or address other ear health concerns.

Audiologists help people adjust to wearing hearing aids. They also teach people how to clean hearing aids and change the batteries. Audiologists also remind you when it’s time to get your hearing checked again.

Audiologists also help people with tinnitus and balance disorders. Those helpful audiologists can perform positioning procedures to stop benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and vestibular rehabilitation for Meniere’s disease. Audiologists prescribe white-noise generating devices to mask tinnitus, hearing aids to treat tinnitus and provide cognitive behavior therapy to reduce the anxiety related to tinnitus.

3. Audiologists are up on the latest technology

Not only are audiologists smart and helpful, they know all about the latest technology. Audiologists know what hearing aids work with Bluetooth enabled devices, what bed shaking devices are effective for smoke and weather alerts and if the smallest hearing aids are effective for your hearing loss.

Audiologists know which hearing aid is waterproof and which ones are water-resistant. That’s important information if you are a swimmer.

Audiologists know what technology will help them more narrowly identify the frequencies that a patient can and cannot hear. This lets them more finely tune hearing aids.

As hearing aid manufacturers develop new and more advanced technology, audiologists are busy learning about it and putting it to work for their patients.

Schedule an appointment

If you feel you would benefit from seeing an audiologist, schedule an appointment with a professional in your area. Audiologists are well-trained, versed in the latest technology and ready to help you with hearing, balance or tinnitus problems.