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.
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.
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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.
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No dangers. Just be careful of disease. Like any other healthcare profession, look for blood or open wounds.
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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.
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I liked this article, which sums it up. http://www.healthyhearing.com/report/51575-The-history-of-audiology
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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.
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As long as you have noise reduction support, resulting in non-dangerous levels of sound reaching your ear, you can be fine. With that being said, those with hearing loss or repeated trips to concerts should sometimes "double-up", using more than one protection at a time.
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