doctorofaudiology
16 Years Experience
Marlboro, NJ
Male, 40
I've been an audiologist for 16 years. I work with all types of patients, focusing on balance disorders, tinnitus, and hearing aids. As I have worked in an Ear, Nose, Throat setting much of my career, I am also exposed to much of the medical side of audiology. ASK ME ANYTHING about being an audiologist.
DISCLAIMER: If you feel that you have a hearing or balance issue, please be sure to see your local ENT or audiologist. This Q&A is not designed to treat or diagnose your problems.
I was just at a hearing aid manufacturer's plant and asked this question. They are actually researching it.
I don't know where you are, but most certainly, if this is a concern for you. please visit a higher level Neurotologist. They are a subspecialist ENT who is focused on the ear and internal structures.
It depends on the level of functioning. Audiologists will work their way down the aging scale to see what kind of interaction a patient can give. We start with adult performance, then work our way down to pediatric test such as play audiometry and visual reinforcement audiology. If none work, consider an ABR, a brainstem test that does not involve response from the patient.
Perhaps. It can vary case by case. Sometimes we can have delayed reponses...or rather, it may simply be something else that trips the problem into existence.
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Pros: Growing career. Many more people over the years will need hearing and balance services, as our population is growing and growing. Tens of millions of people will be aging longer, prompting even more need for vestibular and hearing services.
Cons: With all healthcare fields, insurance reimbursements often make it hard to function. With hearing aids, there are so many avenues to purchase them. The population may be focused on pricing and flashy newspaper ads over professional services. This kind of cheapens our profile.
In recent years, audiology is always listed as a top profession. However, we are still relatively young and don't have an official identity. Thus, we have a field of those with doctoral degrees, some without, those who are simply hearing aid dispensers, educational audiologists, etc, etc.. Our governing body is not very strong, financially and politically.
I know having a sedated ABR may have been traumatic, but perhaps another one would be beneficial. Unless I am reading this wrong, the test was EXPLAINED as abnormal, THEN normal. Is that correct? The one test can only be interpreted one way. If your question actually indicates that two tests were done, one would be generally likely to accept the normal test. However, just to be safe, can you go to a different facility for a double check? If I did not answer your question well, please respond and give me more details.
As goofy as this sounds, it depends on how you are "getting by". I have a variety of patients who struggle with all different types of hearing loss. Low frequency sounds can include all of our major vowels, high frequency sounds past 4000 Hz can include "f", "s", and "th". This can reek havoc on the ability to understand in background noise as well as with soft speakers...as well as many other things. If you are having functional issues, meet an audiologist and left them demonstrate a hearing aid to see if you notice improvement.
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