If you are experiencing hearing issues or think you may have them, you should visit a doctor. Your doctor may refer you to an audiologist or otolaryngologist for a more specialised examination and diagnosis of your condition.
Good hearing health improves your overall health, and it also helps you communicate more clearly with loved ones. Getting a hearing test and getting hearing aids can be the first step toward achieving these benefits.
An audiologist is an expert in hearing
One of the first professionals you will see at a hearing clinic is an Audiologist. They are experts in hearing and can provide comprehensive evaluations, testing and treatments.
They also offer counselling to patients and their families. They can also recommend hearing aids and assistive listening devices to improve quality of life.
A Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree is the minimum requirement for an audiologist. During their education, they study anatomy and physiology, audiological theory, amplification devices, hearing implants, electrophysiology, and auditory rehabilitation.
The AuD degree is issued by regionally accredited universities and colleges. The degree is earned after completing undergraduate and graduate courses.
Audiologists work with doctors, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists and other health care professionals to provide hearing and balance health care services. They also help design programs to prevent noise-induced hearing loss and manage tinnitus. They are also involved in research about hearing and balance.
An otolaryngologist is a doctor of otolaryngology
Otolaryngologists are doctors who focus on diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat (ENT), and related structures of the head and neck. They also treat cancers of the head and neck, as well as deformities of the face.
Otolarynologists are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage the medical and surgical problems of the sinuses, nose, ear, larynx, oral cavity, upper aero-digestive tract, and related structures of the throat and head and neck. They also provide care for otolaryngological disorders that aren’t ENT-specific, such as hearing loss or a problem with your sinuses.
Otolaryngologists typically complete medical school, then receive about five years of specialty training in otolaryngology. They then pass an examination administered by the American Board of Otolaryngology to become certified to practice. Some physicians then pursue one- to two-year fellowships in a subspecialty area. They may choose to specialize in rhinology, laryngology, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, or head and neck surgery.
A hearing aid specialist is a doctor of audiology
Hearing aid specialists work in hearing clinics to distribute and service hearing devices for people with hearing loss. They also carry out regular tests to check that the device is working properly and provide advice on how to use it.
They are able to test and fit hearing aids that are custom-made to suit the patient’s needs. They can also make an internal impression of the ear to help select the most appropriate type of hearing aid.
Unlike a hearing instrument specialist, audiologists can also diagnose underlying medical conditions that may be contributing to a patient’s hearing loss. They can then refer patients to an ENT doctor for treatment.
The hearing aid industry is growing rapidly, and the demand for hearing aid specialists is high. This career offers a high income with job stability, as well as weekends and holidays off.
A hearing aid dispenser is a person who sells hearing aids
A hearing aid dispenser who sells hearing aids is a person who has been authorized by the state to measure hearing and fit and sell hearing aids. The qualifications for becoming a dispenser vary by state, but typically involve working as an apprentice to an already certified dispenser for some period of time and passing a test about hearing aids.
A typical hearing aid consists of small microphones that collect sounds in the environment and convert them into digital code. The microphones then send the data to a computer chip and an amplifier, which analyzes the sound and adjusts it to your listening needs.
Hearing aids are designed to help people with different types of hearing loss, such as age-related or noise-induced. They improve speech and allow people to hear sounds in a variety of environments. Modern hearing aids also include features that let you talk on telecoil-compatible telephones, pick up signals from public induction loop systems and connect to wireless devices, such as smartphones, music players and computers.
