Audiology is More than Hearing Aids

When you hear the word “audiology” you probably think of hearing aids.  But did you know that audiology is much more than just fitting and adjusting hearing aids?  Audiology is an entire branch of science devoted to hearing, balance and associated disorders.

Audiology Training 

Because an audiologist does much more than just dispense hearing aids, they must have training in a wide variety of subjects.  While the first school for audiology didn’t open until 1946 in the United States, education rapidly expanded to include such topics as:

• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Hearing aids
• Cochlear implants
• Electrophysiology
• Acoustics
• Psychophysics
• Neurology
• Vestibular function and assessment
• Balance disorders

In addition, because of the social and psychological affects of hearing loss and tinnitus, audiologists must have training in counseling.  They also can consider learning American Sign Language to communicate with patients who are profoundly deaf and associate in the Deaf community.

Regulation and licensing of audiologists varies from state to state.  Most require a minimum of the Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree as the entry level degree.

Audiology and Balance Disorders 

Because balance is a function of visual and vestibular systems, it is common for problems with balance to first be addressed by and audiologist or an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, throat doctor). 

Balance disorders can cause vertigo, nausea, lightheadedness as well as difficulty standing and walking. 

An audiologist will perform a variety of tests to arrive at a proper diagnosis.  Reasons for balance disorders can range from ear infection to damage to the ear from an accident or foreign object.  Changes in blood pressure, Ménière’s disease, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV or positional vertigo) can also cause balance disorders.  An audiologist’s training allows them to determine if the ears are the cause of balance disorders.

Audiology and Rehabilitative Services 

Rehab isn’t generally the first thing that springs to mind when you think of audiology, but a skilled audiologist also provides hearing rehabilitative services.  This type of service is focused on helping a person recently diagnosed with hearing loss adjust.  This includes:

• Use of hearing aids
• Use of assistive devices
• Strategies for managing conversations
• Other communication strategies

They can also help with such occupational strategies for living such as how to arrange furniture for best conversation, where to place alerting devices if necessary, and how to use visual clues to better understand communication.

Hearing Aids 

The dispensing of hearing aids is what most people think of when they envision a visit to an audiologist.  Audiology is most certainly concerned with all forms of hearing aids and assisted hearing devices.

Your audiologist can prescribe the correct type of hearing aid, program your hearing aid, make repairs to your hearing aids, and teach you how to properly care for your hearing aids.

In addition, an audiologist can periodically assess your hearing levels to see if changes to the programming or model of your hearing aid are necessary.

So while audiology is concerned with the science of hearing, it is much more than just hearing aids.