Meet the Heart and Soul of Our Clinic

Audiologists are healthcare professionals who evaluate, diagnose, treat, and manage hearing loss and hearing conditions like tinnitus and balance disorders. An audiologist holds a minimum of a Master’s degree in Audiology. Professionals seeking education in Audiology who do not currently hold a Master’s degree must now pursue a Doctoral degree in Audiology (Au.D). Audiologists must be licensed in the state where they practice, and are regulated by the Division of Consumer Affairs.

An audiologist may be awarded the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), otherwise known as the CCC-A. With additional training and expertise, the audiologist may receive the honor of Fellow, which is bestowed by the American Academy of Audiology (AAA).

Common services and treatments provided by an audiologist include:

• Diagnostic hearing tests and evaluations
• Audiologic evaluations
• Hearing aid fitting and consultation
• Hearing aid repairs and maintenance
• Pediatric hearing loss detection and treatment
• Hearing conservation and protection programs
• Earmold and earplug fitting and consultation
• Musicians earplugs and monitors
• Tinnitus treatment programs
• Dizziness and balance testing and treatment
• Ear or hearing-related surgical monitoring in hospital settings
• Hearing rehabilitation and auditory training
• Assisting in cochlear implant programs
• Insurance billing for medically necessary diagnostic testing and hearing aids, when patients have policies that cover these benefits

If you have any symptoms of hearing loss, you should see an audiologist to have a formal hearing evaluation. This hearing test, or audiologic evaluation, is diagnostic in nature and allows the audiologist to determine the type, nature and degree of your hearing loss. Your sensitivity, acuity and accuracy to speech understanding will be assessed as well. Your audiologist may also test for speech understanding at different volume levels and in different conditions, such as noise, to provide an indication as to how successful of a candidate you will be for hearing aids.

The hearing evaluation will also include a thorough case history and a visual inspection of the ear canal and eardrum. Additional tests of middle ear function may also be performed. The results of the evaluation can be useful to a physician, if the audiologist believes your hearing loss may benefit from medical intervention.

Results of the hearing evaluation are plotted on a graph called an audiogram. The audiogram provides a visual view of your hearing test results across various pitches or frequencies, especially the ones necessary for understanding speech.

The audiogram and results from your speech understanding tests are used to create a prescription by which hearing aids are programmed, if necessary.

Hearing loss can be due to several factors such as the aging process, exposure to loud noise, medications, infections, head or ear trauma, congenital (birth) or genetic factors, diseases, as well as a number of other causes. Recent data shows that about 20 percent of adults in the United States (48 million) report some degree of hearing loss. Hearing loss often occurs gradually throughout a lifetime.

There are many types of hearing aids today, and the style or device is dependent upon the user’s individual needs. There are in-the-ear styles as well as behind-the-ear styles. Also, hearing aid technology has advanced, with many new and improved options from which to choose.

Hearing aids are available in many different sizes and styles, thanks to advancements in digital technology and miniaturization of the internal components. Many of today’s hearing aids are considered sleek, compact, and innovative – offering solutions to a wide range of hearing aid users. When selecting a style of hearing aid, the following should be considered:

• The type/degree of the hearing loss
• Power requirements
• Manual dexterity and visual abilities
• Budget
• Cosmetics and aesthetics
• Skin sensitivities
• Anatomical and medical considerations