An audiologist is a healthcare professional who specializes in the prevention, identification, diagnosis, and management of disorders affecting hearing and balance. These practitioners work with individuals across the entire lifespan, from newborns requiring initial hearing screenings to older adults managing age-related hearing changes. To establish this expertise, an audiologist must complete a rigorous educational path, typically culminating in a Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree. This training, including extensive clinical experience, qualifies them to provide services related to auditory and vestibular health.
Identifying Hearing and Balance Disorders
A primary function of the audiologist is to conduct evaluations to identify the nature and extent of a patient’s hearing or balance difficulties. The hearing evaluation begins with behavioral tests like pure-tone audiometry, which measures the quietest sound a person can hear at various frequencies. This is paired with speech audiometry, which assesses a person’s ability to understand spoken words in the presence of background noise. The results from these tests are plotted on an audiogram, allowing the audiologist to categorize the hearing loss by severity, such as mild, moderate, or profound.
Middle ear function is assessed using tympanometry, which measures how the eardrum moves in response to changes in air pressure. The audiologist uses this information to determine the type of hearing loss, differentiating between conductive loss (sound transmission issue), sensorineural loss (problem in the inner ear or auditory nerve), or a mixed loss. For infants or individuals who cannot participate in behavioral testing, objective measures are utilized, such as otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing. OAEs measure sounds produced by the inner ear, while ABR measures the electrical activity in the auditory nerve and brainstem in response to sound.
The audiologist also specializes in the vestibular system. Vestibular assessments, such as videonystagmography (VNG) or electronystagmography (ENG), record eye movements to evaluate the function of the balance organs and neural pathways. These diagnostic tools help pinpoint inner ear conditions that cause symptoms like vertigo, dizziness, and unsteadiness. The interpretation of all these test results forms the basis for creating an individualized management plan for the patient.
Treatment and Rehabilitative Care
Once a diagnosis is established, the audiologist shifts focus to non-medical intervention and rehabilitative care. A common intervention involves the selection, fitting, and programming of amplification devices, such as hearing aids. The audiologist customizes the device’s settings using real-ear measurements to ensure the sound amplification is tailored to the patient’s specific hearing loss pattern.
For individuals with severe to profound hearing loss, the audiologist manages the process for cochlear implants. Their role involves determining candidacy, programming the external sound processor, a process known as mapping, and providing extensive follow-up care to maximize auditory benefit. This ensures the device continues to meet the patient’s evolving communication needs.
Aural rehabilitation includes counseling and training to improve communication effectiveness. This involves teaching strategies like speechreading, auditory training, and communication tactics for difficult listening environments. The audiologist also provides counseling to address the emotional and psychological adjustments associated with hearing loss. Furthermore, they provide specialized management for chronic conditions like tinnitus, a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears, and hyperacusis, which is an oversensitivity to everyday sounds. Treatment for these conditions often involves sound therapy, counseling, and education to help patients reduce the severity and impact of the symptoms.
Diverse Practice Settings and Specializations
Audiologists work in a variety of settings. In hospitals and medical centers, they often collaborate with ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physicians, focusing on complex diagnostic cases and the management of sudden hearing loss or balance disorders. Private practices often concentrate on the dispensing and long-term management of hearing aids and related assistive listening technologies.
Educational audiology places the professional within schools, where they support students by managing classroom acoustics, fitting personal frequency modulation (FM) systems, and coordinating services with educators. Industrial audiologists specialize in hearing conservation programs within noisy occupational environments. This includes conducting mandatory hearing screenings, fitting custom hearing protection, and educating employees on noise exposure risks to prevent hearing damage.
Many audiologists specialize in a specific population. Examples include pediatric audiology, focusing on early intervention for children, or geriatric audiology, which addresses hearing loss in older adults.