What Are the Duties of an Audiologist?

An audiologist can help you determine whether you require a hearing aid, which one in every eight Americans will need at some point in their lives. This is not an audiologist’s only role, however. They are responsible for much more. Audiology itself is a relatively new field compared to other medical branches, but this does not mean that an audiologist’s knowledge is sparse. As they require either a Master’s degree or Doctorate, they must have a broad range of expertise to treat patients, offer advice, and carry out other vital duties. Whether you are considering a career in audiology or are curious about what they do, here is an overview of an audiologist’s responsibilities.

Diagnostics

The primary duty of an audiologist is to check for and diagnose potential hearing issues. While they may primarily work with elderly patients experiencing age-related hearing loss, they can also work with adults and children. Once they have identified an instance of hearing loss in a single of both ears, the audiologist will then prescribe the proper treatment. The most common treatment is a hearing aid, which comes in several styles. These styles are in the ear (ITE), behind the ear (BTE) and in the canal (ITC). The audiologist will recommend the right hearing aid for you, but they will also take the time to discuss what you would prefer. Some people may select a more discreet hearing aid, whereas others want one that is as powerful as possible to guarantee consistent hearing. Whichever your preference, the audiologist can assist.

Counseling

Counseling is another significant part of an audiologist’s duties. Like anyone else working in the medical field, a friendly bedside manner will help audiology patients feel more at ease, especially if they struggle to come to terms with their hearing loss. If the patient struggles with their experience with hearing loss, the audiologist can recommend support systems and groups that could help them manage this lifestyle change. Audiologists also work with families, especially those with young children, and can clearly explain what to expect and how to address hearing loss. The onus is on the audiologist to create a safe and comfortable environment so that patients can feel at ease during their appointments and tests.

Researching

Audiologists are always searching for ways to improve the test and appointment experience. This involves research, receiving feedback from patients, and looking for ways to streamline the process while still providing the best care possible. Besides this, audiologists also carry out research into the phenomenon of hearing loss to understand it better. This allows them to develop new treatment methods, which will enable their diagnosis to be more accurate, therefore ensuring better results for the patient. Whether this research benefits the elderly, pediatric patients, or general adults, it can increase the quality of life. The research will also go into improving hearing aids as a product. They can make them more comfortable, easier to use, and include a vast range of features that make them suitable for the 21st century.

Education

There can be some ignorance and misinformation when it comes to hearing loss. Aside from providing advice and diagnoses, an audiologist can also provide education on what hearing loss is and how it is caused. Several factors can impact the quality of hearing and contribute to an individual experiencing hearing loss. Sometimes, it is genetic; others are a result of old age. People exposed to excessively loud noise consistently are also at a greater risk of experiencing mild to severe hearing loss in their lifetime. By transferring this knowledge to students and the general public, they can help reduce the risk of unnecessary hearing loss, which can also reduce the demand for hearing aids.

Checkups

Your experience with an audiologist does not finish once you complete your hearing test, receive results, and fit your hearing aid. They will also need to monitor your experience and help you overcome any further issues that you might experience. These issues can include the hearing aid not working as well as you had hoped, or even not fitting properly. Some patients may also not be able to use the hearing aid as quickly as expected. An audiologist can provide advice or recommend a replacement. They will also want to check up on your experience with how the hearing aid has impacted your life, whether positive or negative so that they can keep up-to-date with your progress and experience with hearing loss.

Get in touch today

If you believe you need to book in a hearing test with an audiologist, get in touch with Quality Hearing Aid Center today at (248) 430-8791 to arrange an appointment with a member of our team.