Audiology

Science's field of audiology focuses on problems of hearing, balance, and associated areas. Audiologists provide care for patients who have hearing loss and actively guard against associated harm. Audiologists seek to ascertain if a person has a normal sensitivity to sounds by using a variety of testing techniques (such as behavioural hearing exams, otoacoustic emission measures, and electrophysiologic tests). If hearing loss is diagnosed, audiologists evaluate the parts of the hearing that are damaged (high, middle, or low frequencies), the severity of the loss, and the location of the lesion (outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, auditory nerve, and/or central nervous system). An audiologist will make suggestions for treatments or rehabilitation if they find that a hearing loss or vestibular disorder is present (e.g. hearing aids, cochlear implants, appropriate medical referrals). Audiologists can specialise in treating tinnitus, hyperacusis, misophonia, auditory processing disorders, cochlear implant use, and/or hearing aid use in addition to identifying audiologic and vestibular illnesses. From infancy until the end of life, audiologists can provide hearing healthcare.