What is an Audiologist?
The word Audiology is a derivation of the Latin audere (to hear) and the Greek logos knowledge.
An Audiologist identifies, assesses, and offers treatment for hearing disorders and the resultant communication problems of a patient. An audiologist is required to have a master’s degree in audiology to be granted a license to practice as an audiologist. They are required to complete a full time internship and pass a demanding national competency exam. An audiologist is a primary hearing health giver and evaluator. Only ten percent of hearing loss requires the medical attention of otolaryngologists or ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) doctors. Most hearing disorders require varying degrees of amplification. The evaluation of hearing loss requiring the correct level of amplification and attendant hearing aid fitting is the primary function of an audiologist.
Amplification with the help of a corrective hearing aid benefits most sufferers of hearing loss as they do not require medical intervention or complicated surgery. Thus an audiologist’s job is to assess the amount of hearing loss if any, recommend the type of hearing aid required by the patient and fit the hearing aid tuning it to needs of the individual wearer. Hearing balance problems are also treated by the audiologist. As hearing aids are mere amplification devices and not corrective devices the patient has to visit the audiologist periodically to evaluate the changing degree of amplification required. These changes are caused by changes in the hearing atmospheres of the patient.
When the hearing impairment is discovered in a young child, the audiologist will have to manage the hearing of the patient from childhood through adulthood. When the hearing impairment occurs at an advanced age, the audiologist is trained to counsel and treat senior citizens. The work of the audiologist therefore involves continuous monitoring, refitting and re evaluation of hearing aids.
When medical intervention or surgical correction is required, the audiologist will refer the patient to a physician or surgeon depending on the requirement. Although the primary function of the audiologist is to assist and not to prevent hearing impairment, they are trained to counsel patients to take preventive measures to avoid possible hearing impairment. A simple description for an audiologist would be a hearing therapist whose job is predominantly non medical treatment to patients of hearing impairment.
An audiologist can be found in private practice, clinics and hospitals. Many schools have pediatric audiologists attached for the benefit and better communication adjustment of young children with hearing impairment. Hearing aid manufacturers establish centers with audiologists who are given special training to fit and program specific and sometimes advanced hearing aids manufactured by them.
Many industries involving concentrated noise have in house or visiting audiologists to help in worker ear health. Special and customized treatments are given to workers who suffer hearing loss. They help in fitting industry hearing protectors, suggest minimization of industrial clamor, introduce noise reducing mechanisms and provide periodic follow up action to prevent possible impairment because of industrial noise.
The audiologist will first inspect the ear to test the degree of impairment. This is usually done in a soundproof chamber. The eardrum is inspected with an otoscope and minimal ear wax cleaning is conducted if required. A detailed and accurate estimation of the amount of amplification required by the patient is conducted by the audiologist. This is because patients young and old do not realize or complain of the problem. The failure of communication is the giveaway and is generally noticed only by the family or companions. The Audiologist then orders the precise hearing aid instrument based on the hearing environment and the communication usage of the patient. This increase in hearing capacity by customized instructions fed by the audiologist greatly increases the communication capacity of the patient.
The audiologist is not only a hearing facilitator but also a hearing manager. The patient requires periodic reassessment by the audiologist hence the role of the audiologist is that of a hearing auditor. This continuous assessment helps the patient function more efficiently while communicating in schools, society and at work.
Many hearing aid manufacturers hire audiologists in the design and manufacture of hearing aids to augment creation of better instruments. Audiologists are involved in research and development wings of hearing aid manufacturers to give patients a better communication deal.
The American Academy of Audiologists is the largest professional association in the U.S. Of audiologists, the Academy of doctors of Audiology, the Audiology foundation, Audiology Resource Association, the ‘Let them Hear’ foundation and the American Speech Language Hearing Association ASHA are regulatory and research organizations for audiologists which regulate professional ethics and conduct research for the greater hearing welfare of the hearing impaired citizen.
