Audiologist

Audiologist

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.

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Last Answer on March 21, 2020

Best Rated

Hi I'm a highschool student interested in audiology and I was just wondering about the pros and cons of the career and if you could tell me anything about that? Any advice is also appreciated

Asked by CC over 9 years ago

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.

Is it normal to hear a hissing or ringing sound in a silent environment? I get mixed answers when I ask people this. I have been to concerts without protection so my question is, do I have tinnitus due to loud noise, or is this a normal?

Asked by Sal almost 9 years ago

Any sound that a person hears "in their heads" is tinnitus. It is not normal. Please go to a hearing specialist for a hearing evaluation. This will give us more data on what is going on with the sound.

what are some of the dangers of being an audiologist?

Asked by Lisa about 10 years ago

No dangers. Just be careful of disease. Like any other healthcare profession, look for blood or open wounds.

Im having ringing in my ears ever since March.. And i will be attending two concerts this month.. I know I need to wear proctection but idk what plugs to get (also I have impaired hearing..)

Asked by Kim over 9 years ago

As long as you have some sort of protection, that is very important. The yellow 3M E-A-R plugs help, but I personally prefer the Mac's earplugs. Why? Because they splat over the entrance of the ear, so no matter what ear canal you have, it will work. I find that the 3M product doesn't always stay in well and sound can leak in. If you are a huge concert goer, consider going to an audiologist and getting custom noise reduction plugs. That could run you $150-$250 a pair, but you will be very happy you did it.

Could non-mercury fillings cause tinnitus/hyperacusis?
The fillings are a bit too high and cause a mild tooth pain when I bite down fairly hard. The date of getting them coincides more closely with my symptoms than my noise exposure history.

Asked by Help about 8 years ago

I only have knowledge of mercury fillings and their relationship to tinnitus. However, in general, jaw discomfort, stress, tension, etc., can contribute to the presence of tinnitus.

Is there such a thing as having better than average hearing? How can this be determined? Are there any devices that can cancel out annoying sounds in a classroom, but allow good sounds to go through (teacher talking).

Amelia
SLPA

Asked by Amelia almost 8 years ago

No, you cannot. One of my pet peeves in the industry is when a doctor tells the patient that s/he has "better than normal hearing" or "perfect hearing". We are not born with "100% of our hearing", then declines. We are generally all born within a normal limit, which declines over time. On the audiogram (hearing test), one can have test scores below 0 dB, which is great, but not "perfect" or "above average".One of the best ways to assist in hearing a teacher in the classroom is by utilizing ALDs (assistive listening devices). Many of these devices, which include FM systems or remote microphones, allow the speaker's signal to transmit more prominently to the person with a hearing impairment.

what is the history behind audiology? When did it first come into existence? it seems like a very interesting field!

Asked by bruce wayne over 10 years ago

I liked this article, which sums it up. http://www.healthyhearing.com/report/51575-The-history-of-audiology