Contact Appalachian Audiology | Information for Physicians

What is an Audiologist?

At Appalachian Audiology an audiologist is a health professional with a doctorate in audiology who studies the sense of hearing, detects and diagnoses hearing loss, and works to help individuals with hearing loss.

Audiologists also select, fit and dispense amplification systems such as hearing aids and help prevent hearing loss by providing and fitting patients with protective devices.

Audiologists hold master's or doctoral degrees from accredited universities with special training in the prevention, identification, assessment and non-medical treatment of hearing disorders. Audiologists are required to complete a full-time internship and pass a demanding national competency examination. By virtue of their graduate education and licensure, audiologists are the most qualified professionals to perform a hearing evaluation, refer patients for medical treatment and provide hearing rehabilitation services.

What do audiologists do?

Audiologists use specialized equipment to obtain accurate results about hearing loss. These tests are typically conducted in sound-treated rooms with calibrated equipment.

The audiologist is trained to inspect the eardrum with an otoscope, perform limited ear wax removal, conduct diagnostic audiologic tests, and check for medically-related hearing problems.

Hearing loss is caused by medical problems about 10% of the time. Audiologists are educated to recognize these medical problems and refer patients to ear, nose and throat physicians (known as otolaryngologists). Most persons with hearing impairment can benefit from the use of hearing aids, and audiologists are knowledgeable about the latest applications of hearing aid technology.

Good hearing is essential to the social and intellectual development of infants and young children. Audiologists test hearing and identify hearing loss in children of any age. This includes newborn and infant hearing screening and diagnostic hearing tests with young children. Audiologists provide hearing therapy and fit hearing aids on babies and young children with hearing loss.

Audiologists provide complete hearing aid services to clients with hearing problems.

Audiologists are also experts with assistive listening equipment and personal alerting devices. Audiologists provide education and training so that persons with hearing impairment can benefit from amplification and communication devices.

Audiologists dispense the majority of hearing aids in the United States. Audiologists use the most advanced computerized procedures to individualize the fitting of hearing aids.

Hearing aid options are thoroughly discussed with each potential user based on the results of a complete hearing aid test battery and the individual needs of each patient. Follow-up care and hearing aid accessories are routinely available from dispensing audiologists.