What Is An Audiologist?
Audiology is a highly recognized profession and has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the Best Careers in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.
Au-di-ol-o-gists: Audiologists are the primary health-care professionals who evaluate, diagnose, treat, and manage hearing loss and balance disorders in adults and children.
Audiologist:
- Evaluate and diagnose hearing loss and vestibular(balance) disorders
- Prescribe, fit, and dispense hearing aids and other amplification and hearing assistance technologies
- Are members of cochlear implant teams
- Perform ear- or hearing-related surgical monitoring
- Design and implement hearing conservation programs
- Design and implement newborn hearing screening programs
- Provide hearing rehabilitation training such as auditory training and listening skills improvement
- Assess and treat individuals, especially children, with central auditory processing disorders
- Assess and treat individuals with tinnitus (noise in the ear, such as ringing)
- Audiologists treat all ages and types of hearing loss: the elderly, adults, teens, children, and infants
- Almost all types of hearing loss are treatable by an audiologist
- Most hearing loss that is caused by nerve damage can be treated by an audiologist with hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and hearing rehabilitation
- Audiologists work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, clinics, private practice, ENT offices, universities, K-12 schools, government, military, and Veterans’ Administration (VA) hospitals
- Most audiologists earn a doctor of audiology (AuD) degree. Some audiologists earn a doctor of philosophy (PhD) or doctor of science (ScD) degree in the hearing and balance sciences
- Audiologists must be licensed or registered for practice in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico
For more information on audiology and hearing loss, visit www.HowsYourHearing.org. This information is provided by the American Academy of Audiology.
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Symptoms of Hearing Loss
- Asking people to repeat themselves frequently
- Missing key words in a conversation when talking in noisy surroundings
- Difficulty hearing on the telephone
- Turning up the volume on the television or radio
- Feeling people mumble or speak more softly than usual
- Friends or family suggest you get your hearing checked
Causes of Hearing Loss
- Loud noise exposure
- Age-related hearing loss known as Presbycusis
- Familial/genetic predisposition to hearing loss
- Infection and Certain Medical Disorders
- Tumors (rare)
For more information on Hearing loss
About Hearing, Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids
Hearing Loss
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