General Information about Audiologists

You may be wondering what an audiologist is and what an audiologist does. Yes, they help diagnose and treat hearing loss, tinnitus and other ear health issues, but what does that really encompass? What is an audiologist? Here is some general information about audiologists and what they do.

What is an audiologist?

An audiologist is a health professional who focuses on the ear and hearing. An audiologist goes to school for between six to eight years to obtain an advanced degree in audiology. In their schooling in order to become a certified audiologist, they must not only do classroom work, they must also participate in labs as well as a practicum in the field in order to obtain their full degree.

The in-school labs allow the audiologist students to practice on each other what they will be doing in the field, such as earmold impressions, hearing testing, looking in the ears of patients, using the many different tools of the trade and fitting and programming hearing aids. They also learn in the labs, as well as through classroom work, how to rehabilitate and counsel each other first so they will be able to rehabilitate and counsel their patients properly in the future in the field.

What can an audiologist do for you?

An audiologist is trained to identify disease, disorders, complication and hearing loss in individuals. They are trained to test hearing, dispense hearing aids, program hearing aids and counsel and rehabilitate patients. Audiologists work in hospitals, private clinics or both.

In addition to treating hearing loss, audiologists also perform outreach work bringing information and awareness to those in the community, schools and workplaces. They educate about hearing loss, hearing care, hearing loss prevention as well as other disease and disorders that may be plaguing people.

Audiologists can also work with children to treat hearing loss and find the proper hearing instrument for them. It can be very tricky to test a child’s hearing, especially if they are too young to communicate.

How to find an audiologist

There are a number of ways to find an audiologist in your area. One of the easiest ways to find an audiologist for you is to ask friends and family for a referral. Your friends and family will be able to provide you honest and real reviews of the audiologists they’ve visited. If your friends and family don’t have a suggestion, try talking to your primary care physician. Many medical professionals are familiar with others in their network, including audiologists. You can also search the internet for a qualified audiologist in your area, just pay attention to the information on their website, including: an overview of their practice, the professionals who work there, the services they offer and any reviews from patients.

If you’re suffering from hearing loss, an audiologist is the right professional to help improve not only your hearing ability, but your quality of life as well. Now that you’ve decided an audiologist is the right professional to treat you, schedule an appointment with a professional in your area today.