Who is an audiologist and what does he treat?

Who is an audiologist

An audiologist (from surdus - deaf, logos - science) is a doctor who is engagedA. AND. Shoulder blade. A Practical Guide to Audiology diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation of people with hearing loss, that is, hearing impairments. This term is used only in Russia. In Western countries with hearing problems work1. What Is an Audiologist? / John Hopkins Medicine
2. Audiologists vs. Hearing Instrument Specialists vs. ENTs / American Academy of Audiology audiologists. These are not ENT doctors, but individual specialists.

What is the difference between an audiologist and an otorhinolaryngologist?

An audiologist is an otorhinolaryngologist who has undergone professional retraining. ENTs can also treat people with hearing impairments, but audiologists possessProfessional standard "Doctor-audiologist-otolaryngologist" / Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation more in-depth knowledge in this area, including methods such as:

• non-drug treatment of hearing problems;
• selection and adjustment of hearing aids;
• installation and adjustment of implants;
• rehabilitation of people with hearing impairments.

What diseases does an audiologist treat?

An audiologist deals with any condition that leadTypes and causes of hearing loss and deafness / RNID temporary or permanent hearing loss, such as:

• hearing loss due to damage to the hair cells of the inner ear or auditory nerve (sensorineural);
• hearing loss due to blockage of the ear canal (conductive);
• trauma;
• infections;
• Meniere's disease, in which fluid accumulates in the inner ear;
• hereditary deafness;
• Acoustic neuroma is a very rare tumor that compresses the auditory nerve.

What are the symptoms to see an audiologist?

Sign upWhen to See an Audiologist or an Otolaryngologist (ENT) / Advanced Hearing Care See an audiologist if:

• you think that you hear worse because of the sulfur plugs;
• notice a gradual deterioration in hearing;
• often ask the interlocutor to repeat;
• cannot understand what is said in a noisy place, such as a crowded room;
• you feel that higher voices, such as women's and children's, sound unintelligible, as if people are muttering;
• high-pitched sounds, such as phone beeps and birdsong, cannot be heard;
• in the ears constantly or intermittently heard ringing or buzz.

If you're not sure it's time to see an audiologist, you can pass theHearing tests / NHS one of the online tests. They are not as accurate as those that the doctor conducts, but they will help you understand what you need for an appointment. For example, a test from Royal National Institute of the Deaf.

What will the audiologist do?

The first appointment with an audiologist can last from half an hour to an hour. First, the doctor will ask about complaints, lifestyle, previous diseases and take an anamnesis. After that, he will examine the nose, throat and ears to assess their condition, and then move on to the study of hearing and balance.

Hearing and balance check 1. Hearing tests / NHS
2. Professional standard "Doctor-audiologist-otolaryngologist" / Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation through various tests such as:

• whispering and speaking test;
• the study of sound with the help of tuning forks - fork-like instruments that, when struck, produce a sound of a certain height;
• tone audiometry, when you listen to sounds through headphones and press a button every time you hear something;
• speech audiometry - it passes almost like a tone, but instead of sounds in the headphones there will be voices;
• tympanometry - a study of the elasticity of the eardrum to determine the conductivity of sound;
• study of auditory emission, when the device registers the response noise of cell hairs and membranes;
• the study of auditory potentials, that is, nerve impulses that occur in response to sound;
• vestibular function test, that is equilibrium and orientation in space.

After that, the audiologist will be able to prescribe conservative or surgical treatment or recommend an auxiliary device.