What Conditions Can an Audiologist Treat?

Audiologists are leading experts in the field of hearing health. They’re just as essential to our daily lives as dentists, opticians and family doctors, but many people don’t understand the types of conditions that audiologists treat. So to give you a better understanding of what audiologists do and how they can help with your quality of life, we’re going to detail a couple conditions that audiologists are known for treating.

HEARING LOSS

The most common condition that audiologists are known for treating is hearing loss. Hearing loss can happen for a number of different reasons, such as due to ageing, exposure to loud noises or even an ear infection. It’s important to visit an audiologist so that they can diagnose the issue and help determine what the cause is. This could potentially restore your hearing with some treatment, or it could lead to hearing aid recommendations.

TINNITUS

Tinnitus is a ringing or buzzing noise in your ear that can only be heard by you. It’s often very high pitched and can be frustrating to listen to, but tinnitus is a condition that audiologists can help you treat. They’ll look for the source of tinnitus to determine why it’s happening, and then they can provide the right treatment to get rid of it. In some cases, it can be difficult to determine why you have tinnitus, so your audiologist may suggest therapy to help you gradually phase the sound out so that it no longer becomes a problem.

BALANCE ISSUES

If you find yourself suffering from vertigo or dizziness, then it could actually be caused by your ears. Our hearing plays an important role in the way we balance our bodies, so if there’s an issue with our hearing, it could potentially lead to balance problems. An audiologist will be able to examine our ears and perform tests to make sure that we’re not suffering from any kind of hearing-related balance issues.

IMPACTED EARWAX

If you regularly use cotton buds to clean your ears, then you might be surprised to know that you’re actually putting yourself at risk of impacted earwax. This is because the movements of the cotton bud slowly push the earwax back into your ear, causing buildups that lead to impacted earwax. Your audiologist will be able to examine your ear to remove any earwax buildup. This usually involves a cleaning procedure and is a safe and quick way to deal with the pain and discomfort associated with impacted earwax.