Understanding Audiologists: Specialists in Hearing and Balance
Audiologists are healthcare providers with expertise in audiology, the study of hearing and balance issues. They treat people of all ages, from infants to older adults. Ultimately, they can help you feel more connected to the world around you by helping you hear better or feel steadier on your feet.
Audiologists evaluate, treat and manage problems involving your ear, like hearing loss and frequent dizziness. They educate about hearing and balance disorders and share strategies for prevention.
What Does an Audiologist Do?
Audiologists are hearing specialists who protect your hearing. They can also help with issues that arise from problems with your body’s balance system, the vestibular system.
As part of their work, audiologists:
- Perform hearing tests
- Fit you for hearing aids, cochlear implants or hearing assistive devices
- Perform vestibular testing to check how the balance system within your inner ear is working
- Help conduct vestibular rehabilitation therapy to manage symptoms like dizziness and vertigo
- Collaborate on treatment plans with other providers, like physical therapists and speech-language pathologists
- Engage in research to improve the current understanding of hearing and balance disorders within the field of audiology
Conditions Audiologists Manage
Audiologists manage several conditions, including:
- Hearing loss. Audiologists manage all types of hearing loss across various causes, including aging (presbycusis), long-term damage (sensorineural hearing loss) and medication side effects (ototoxicity).
- Tinnitus. Audiologists can help you manage persistent ringing in your ears.
- Auditory processing disorders (APD). Audiologists diagnose conditions that involve having normal hearing but trouble understanding certain sounds.
- Vestibular disorders. Audiologists evaluate and treat balance issues, including common ones, like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
Audiologist vs. ENT
It’s important to distinguish these fields to choose the right specialist based on your symptoms. Although both specialists work with the organs of hearing, their functions and approaches to care are different.
ENTs, also known as otolaryngologists, are medical doctors who diagnose and treat many conditions affecting people’s ears, noses and throats. An ENT treats diseases of the ears, throat, nose, and airways, including infections and inflammatory conditions. An ENT can help determine if an underlying medical condition is causing your issues. If so, they can prescribe medications or perform surgeries to help. They may refer you to an audiologist for hearing or vestibular tests.
Audiologists help people manage inner ear conditions related to hearing loss and balance issues. An audiologist specializes in hearing disorders, testing, hearing-aid fitting, and balance problems. Audiology is a focused medical field that studies the functions of the auditory and vestibular systems and works to restore them when they are impaired. Audiologists are trained to understand and program hearing aids, cochlear implants, assistive listening devices, bone-anchored hearing aids, and more.
For most ear problems you can see an ENT, but for a range of conditions accompanied by hearing deterioration you specifically need an audiologist. An audiologist works closely with the otolaryngologist, speech-language pathologist, and deaf-education specialist to provide comprehensive support for patients with hearing impairment.
When to See an ENT
For ear or throat pain, chronic rhinitis, snoring, or loss of voice, an ENT will establish the diagnosis and offer treatment. They can also perform minor surgeries, such as adenoid removal.
When to See an Audiologist
If your hearing is declining, you’re bothered by tinnitus, or you need a hearing aid, you should consult an audiologist. They will perform detailed testing and help with hearing rehabilitation.
In other words, if you have pain, discharge, congestion, or fever, see an ENT. To better understand whom to visit, note that you should book an ENT appointment for acute or chronic pain in the ears, throat, or nose; after injuries; or if you suspect sinusitis, otitis media, or tonsillitis. In both cases, early diagnosis offers much better chances of fully restoring function.
If you’re not sure whom to see, describe your symptoms to our specialist, and they will advise which doctor you need.
When Would I Need to See an Audiologist?
You may want to consult with an audiologist if:
- It’s hard for you to hear or understand what people are saying
- You have to turn up the volume on your television or other devices to hear
- You have ongoing ringing or other noise in your head or ears
- You have episodes of frequent dizziness or feeling as if the room is spinning
If you’re unsure about whether you should see an audiologist, make an appointment with your primary care provider. They can examine you and refer you to the specialty care you need.
What Should I Expect From My Appointment With My Audiologist?
At your first appointment, your audiologist may:
- Review your medical history. This includes previous conditions and treatments. They may ask about your family’s health history, too.
- Ask about your symptoms. This includes how long you’ve had them and if they come and go or are constant.
- Examine you. They’ll check your ears (often, with an instrument called an otoscope). They can check for physical signs of a hearing problem, like earwax buildup.
You may need hearing tests or vestibular (balance) testing, depending on your symptoms.
They’ll analyze test results and explain what they mean for your health. Depending on test results, your audiologist may recommend additional testing. They work with people with hearing or balance issues and sometimes, their caregivers, to recommend options to help manage the condition.
Questions to Ask Your Audiologist
Questions to ask include:
- What’s my diagnosis?
- What’s causing my hearing loss or balance issues?
- How severe is my condition?
- What tests will I need?
- What treatments would you recommend?
- What steps can I take to manage symptoms at home?
The Importance of Hearing Health
Hearing loss shouldn’t be ignored - maintaining good hearing is essential to your overall well-being. Being able to hear and communicate is essential to staying connected to the world around you. So is being able to maintain balance without feeling dizzy. Everyone deserves to be heard and understood, to communicate and connect. When you can hear clearly, it's easier to chime in and feel confident sharing with others.
Audiologists can help in both aspects of your life. See an audiologist if you or your family have concerns about your hearing. Schedule an appointment if you’re having frequent trouble maintaining your sense of equilibrium or steadiness.
Where Audiologists Work
Audiologists work in all types of settings, including:
- Doctors’ offices, clinics and hospitals
- K-12 educational settings, colleges and universities
- Military settings and the Veterans Administration (VA)
- Residential care facilities
- Rehabilitation centers