Although the title “audiologist” may be unfamiliar to you, this health care professional has many important roles related to diagnosing and treating hearing loss or other problems related to the ears. Rather than suffering through your inability to hear conversations, difficulties with balance, or perpetual ringing in your ears, make an appointment with an audiologist to get started on your path to better hearing.
In most states, licensed audiologists must hold a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree, which comes after a long course of study that teaches individuals about how the ears work, how to test for problems, and how to treat all types of diagnoses. All of this training, along with hours of clinical experience, leaves your audiologist equipped to figure out what is wrong with your ears and what options are available to treat your problems.
When you visit an audiologist for the first time, you can expect to have him or her listen to you as you describe what problems you’ve noticed, what situations give you the most difficulty, and what you’re looking to solve. Then the audiologist will likely put you through a series of hearing tests. These may have you listen for tones of different sound frequencies, familiar or unfamiliar voices saying specific words, and often picking out sounds or words layered on top of background noise.
After your tests, your audiologist will explain the results and explain what options for treatment are available to you. The audiologist may prescribe and fit hearing aids or other types of assistive listening devices, recommend cochlear implants, or suggest hearing rehabilitation to increase what your ears can naturally do. Audiologists are committed to helping you understand your options and make the choices that are best for your hearing needs and your lifestyle.
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