The Top Conditions an Audiologist Treats

If you feel you need to go to an audiologist, you might first want to check whether that is the right place to go and learn more about what a good, qualified audiologist could do for you. While it might seem obvious in general what you can expect an audiologist to be for, there is often a lot of confusion surrounding this, and it’s a good idea to get to the bottom of this first. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the top conditions that an audiologist will usually treat. If you have any of these, or suspect you have, then you might want to think about seeing an audiologist as soon as possible.

Hearing loss

Probably the most obvious reason that you might go to an audiologist is so that they can help you with any hearing loss that you might be experiencing. The trouble with hearing loss is that it can often be so gradual that you don’t notice it has happened until it is very advanced, at which point you then become aware of it and decide to get it checked out. Of course, that is not always how it happens; there are also plenty of times when you will find you experience sudden hearing loss, and this is quite common too. That can happen as a result of damage, infection or any number of other potential causes.

Whatever kind of hearing loss you might have, you should see an audiologist at your first convenience. They will be able to inform you of the cause, and the likely future treatment for the hearing loss. Using a range of physical examinations and hearing tests, they will determine exactly the extent of the hearing loss and what kind it is and together you can work out a way forward.

Tinnitus

It’s not just hearing loss that an audiologist will treat. If you have ever experienced tinnitus, you will know that this is a particularly troublesome thing which you will want to have managed in the best way possible. A lot of people have tinnitus for many years before ever thinking about whether it’s the kind of thing they can see a doctor about. It is, and the doctor you should ideally be seeing about your tinnitus is the audiologist.

An audiologist will be able to determine for certain that you are experiencing tinnitus and not something else, and that is an important first step. For it to truly be tinnitus, you have to be hearing a high buzzing sound without an external source. It can be in one or both ears, and if not, a buzzing it might sound like whistling or just an undefinable noise. But it is almost always high-pitched in nature.

Your audiologist will carry out a range of tests to determine the cause of your tinnitus, and then lay out a treatment plan. That can include sound therapy, modern hearing aids, or even psychological treatments like CBT. Any of these are known to potentially help with tinnitus.

Recurring ear infections

If you have ever had an ear infection, you will know that it’s the kind of thing you want to have dealt with as soon as possible. Not only will you want to do that to ensure that you can get back to a comfortable level, but it’s also important for your physical health that you don’t allow an ear infection to continue for too long. An audiologist can help to determine that it really is an infection in the first case, and then provide a credible treatment plan for dealing with the infection and ensuring that it clears up as soon as possible. Then you can get back to normal in no time.

Wax buildup

Wax is a naturally occurring substance which helps to lubricate the ear and protect it from outside harm. It is a part of the natural cleaning process of the ear and is nothing to worry about. But an excess of wax can cause poor hearing and other concerns, and if you are experiencing those then you are going to want to see your audiologist to have them dealt with as soon as possible. You could cause damage to your ear trying to clear the wax out yourself, so it's best to let your audiologist do it with their professional skills and tools.

If you are in need of the expert help of a friendly and experienced audiologist, get in touch with East Bay Audiologists, APC at 925-718-5592 today.