Audiologist

What is an audiologist?

Audiologists are healthcare providers with expertise in audiology, the study of hearing and balance issues. Audiologists evaluate, treat and manage problems involving your ear, like hearing loss and frequent dizziness. They educate about hearing and balance disorders and share strategies for prevention.

Ultimately, they can help you feel more connected to the world around you by helping you hear better or feel steadier on your feet.

Audiologists work in all types of settings, including:

• Doctor’s offices, clinics and hospitals.
• K-12 educational settings, colleges and universities.
• Military settings and the Veterans Administration (VA).
• Residential care facilities.
• Rehabilitation centers.

They help people of all ages, from infants to older adults.

What does an audiologist do?

Audiologists are hearing specialists who protect your hearing. They can also help with issues that arise from problems with your body’s balance system, the vestibular system.

Conditions audiologists manage include:

• Hearing loss: Audiologists manage all types of hearing loss across various causes, including aging (presbycusis), long-term damage (sensorineural hearing loss) and medication side effects (ototoxicity).
• Tinnitus: Audiologists can help you manage persistent ringing in your ears.
• Auditory processing disorders (APD): Audiologists diagnose conditions that involve having normal hearing but trouble understanding certain sounds.
• Vestibular disorders: Audiologists evaluate and treat balance issues, including common ones, like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

As part of their work, audiologists:

• Perform hearing tests.
• Fit you for hearing aids, cochlear implants or hearing assistive devices.
• Perform vestibular testing to check how the balance system within your inner ear is working.
• Help conduct vestibular rehabilitation therapy to manage symptoms like dizziness and vertigo.
• Collaborate on treatment plans with other providers, like physical therapists and speech-language pathologists (SL.
• Engage in research to improve the current understanding of hearing and balance disorders within the field of audiology.

What are the educational requirements to become an audiologist?

Most audiologists earn doctorate degrees. The terminal degree to practice as an audiologist is a doctor of audiology (AuD) degree. Many also complete a research degree, PhD or a combination of AuD/PhD. These programs take about four years to complete. Other educational requirements include:

• Completing an externship year (an “externship” involves clinical experiences under the supervision of a licensed audiologist).
• Passing a national examination and state licensing exams.

Many audiologists go on to receive certifications from national organizations like the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the American Board of Audiology (ABA). These include specializations in:

• Managing certain populations, like children.
• Managing certain conditions, like tinnitus.
• Selecting and programming certain hearing devices, like cochlear implants.

Audiologists aren’t medical doctors (MDs). Still, they spend on average eight to 10 years total getting the education needed to become a practicing audiologist.

What is the difference between an ENT and an audiologist?

ENTs (also known as otolaryngologists) are medical doctors who diagnose and treat many conditions affecting people’s ears, noses and throats. Audiologists help people manage inner ear conditions related to hearing loss and balance issues.

An ENT can help determine if an underlying medical condition is causing your issues. If so, they can prescribe medications or perform surgeries to help. They may refer you to an audiologist for hearing or vestibular tests.

When would I need to see an audiologist?

You may want to consult with an audiologist if:

• It’s hard for you to hear or understand what people are saying.
• You have to turn up the volume on your television or other devices to hear.
• You have ongoing ringing or other noise in your head or ears.
• You have episodes of frequent dizziness or feeling as if the room is spinning.

If you’re unsure about whether you should see an audiologist, make an appointment with your primary care provider. They can examine you and refer you to the specialty care you need.

What should I expect from my appointment with my audiologist?

At your first appointment, your audiologist may:

• Review your medical history: This includes previous conditions and treatments. They may ask about your family’s health history, too.
• Ask about your symptoms: This includes how long you’ve had them and if they come and go or are constant.
• Examine you: They’ll check your ears (often with an instrument called an otoscope). They can check for physical signs of a hearing problem, like earwax buildup. You may need hearing tests or vestibular (balance) testing, depending on your symptoms.
• Explain test results: They’ll analyze test results and explain what they mean for your health.
• Review next steps: Depending on test results, your audiologist may recommend additional testing. They work with people with hearing or balance issues and sometimes their caregivers to recommend options to help manage the condition.

What questions should I ask my audiologist?

Questions to ask include:

• What’s my diagnosis?
• What’s causing my hearing loss or balance issues?
• How severe is my condition?
• What tests will I need?
• What treatments would you recommend?
• What steps can I take to manage symptoms at home?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Being able to hear and communicate is essential to staying connected to the world around you. So is being able to maintain balance without feeling dizzy. Audiologists can help in both aspects of your life. See an audiologist if you or your family has concerns about your hearing. Schedule an appointment if you’re having frequent trouble maintaining your sense of equilibrium or steadiness. Your primary care provider may be able to recommend an audiologist for you.