What are Audiologists?

If you have noticed a change in how you hear, socially interact with people or find yourself struggling with your usual day-to-day lifestyle, then it may be time to visit an audiologist. Anything to do with your hearing health can be taken care of by an audiologist, but you may be wondering what exactly are audiologists and what can they do for you. With that in mind, here is a little background. 

What is an audiologist?

An audiologist is a trained healthcare professional who can help with all things to do with your hearing health. They will be trained to evaluate, diagnose and treat hearing loss or other hearing disorders you may be experiencing. Some of these include tinnitus, balance issues, and hyperacusis. An audiologist will also be able to help people of all ages have improved hearing health.

In a nutshell, what do they do?

An audiologist is experienced and trained to help evaluate and diagnose any concerns you might have with your hearing health:

• They can help patients from newborn to adults.
• They can select, recommend and fit hearing aids to help with certain hearing loss issues ranging from mild to severe. 
• They can help prevent hearing loss by evaluating and diagnosing the causes and providing their patients with solutions. 
• Help with future research into hearing loss and hearing health concerns to come up with better solutions for patients in the future. 

What can you expect from an audiologist?

An audiologist will perform different tests to understand what level of hearing loss you might be experiencing. They may also need to evaluate what might be causing it. Once these tests are completed the results will then be chartered and displayed on an audiogram. Your audiologist will discuss the findings of the tests and then recommend a course of action or treatment for the hearing loss.

The most common course of action is to issue hearing aids. There are a few different styles and advances in technology now available when it comes to hearing aids and your audiologist will discuss the best options for you and the important steps you might now need to take. 

How you can make the most of your visit with your audiologist?

Making the most of any appointment that you have is essential. Your audiologist will need a background of your hearing health, an understanding of your lifestyle and also the career you have. This could provide your audiologist with vital clues. You may have questions about your hearing health and the best course of action to take, so don’t be afraid to ask your audiologist. They will be able to advise on the next steps and what you might need to do.