4 Signs You Need an Audiologist

Visiting an audiologist may be necessary if you’re experiencing hearing loss or a number of other ear-related issues. The audiologist will examine your ears, assess your symptoms and conduct a series of hearing tests to help figure out the root cause of the problem. They will then be able to give you an idea of what treatment will make your condition better, whether that’s a hearing aid, cleaning your ears or something else.

If you’re not sure whether visiting an audiologist is right for you, here are four signs you could benefit from an appointment with one.

Your hearing is declining

Difficulty hearing is one of the first signs you should visit an audiologist. Not all hearing loss is the same and the condition can be caused by different things. For instance, hearing loss in one patient could be caused by head trauma, while in another patient it may be due to the aging process. Visiting an audiologist will allow you to be looked at and treated as a whole rather than just one part of the problem. They have plenty of knowledge and problem-solving skills that can help to figure out the root cause and come up with a suitable treatment to improve your quality of life.

You have impacted earwax

Your earwax serves as a self-cleaning agent for the ears. If you have impacted earwax, it means your ears may be overproducing wax and this can cause symptoms like pain, temporary hearing loss or ringing in the ears. An audiologist will be able to professionally and safely clean your ears, as well as recommend methods to help prevent this in the future. Avoid any home or taboo remedies, as they can actually make the problem worse and potentially be dangerous.

You’re struggling to balance/getting dizzy

If you’re struggling to balance and find yourself getting dizzy, it could be a sign that there’s an issue with the fluid in your inner ear. Having an issue with your inner ear could mean you experience vertigo, falls and are not able to go about life like you used to. Your audiologist will be able to examine the components of your ear and test the function to determine the root cause of your dizziness.

Experiencing regular tinnitus

Tinnitus is usually classed as a ringing in the ears, but it can also be a buzzing or even whirring sound. It varies from person to person, but commonly comes from being around loud noises without any protection. You may have bouts of tinnitus or suffer from it permanently. Using treatments like hearing aids, sound machines and tinnitus retraining therapy, the audiologist can help you manage your tinnitus and get the relief you need.