What Evaluations Will My Audiologist Perform?

By Author: James Barlow
Total Articles: 4
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If you are having your hearing evaluated, you might be under the care of an audiologist, a masters or doctorate level hearing healthcare professional. Audiologists are providers of hearing healthcare who test, diagnose, treat and manage hearing and balance related disorders.

These professionals must hold a degree of masters or doctorate in the audiology field or related field (e.g., communication science disorders). Because of the in-depth education and training they receive, these professionals are well-suited to help you learn more about your personal hearing health. If you are suspecting that you have a hearing loss, changing hearing, ringing or other sound in the ear, imbalance or dizziness, contact for an appointment today.

Typical appointments include a thorough interview about your medical, hearing, and balance history. This may be in a written questionnaire, verbal interview, or combination of both (which is most likely). Try to be open and honest in discussing your health history. Small details that you may feel unimportant may actually give to the diagnosis of your difficulties!

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... can help your provider to decide your specific needs and what test measures are relevant to you. A wide range of tests can be completed to diagnosis your difficulties, but all may not be necessary in your personal case. Your provider will determine your evaluation needs during the interview and throughout the testing process.

Hearing evaluations may include:
-Otoscopy: Magnified visual inspection of the outer ear and outer ear canal
-Tympanometry: Middle ear pressure evaluation
-Otoacoustic emissions (distortion product or transient evoked): Objective evaluation of the inner ear (cochlea)
-Pure tone audiometry: Behavioral evaluation of hearing sensitivity
-Evoked Potential evaluations: Objective evaluations of the auditory pathways

Balance evaluations may include:
-Evoked Potential evaluations: Objective evaluations of the auditory pathways to the brain
-Other vestibular (balance) evaluations:
• Electronystagmography (ENG)
• Video Nystagmography (VNG)
• Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) evaluation
• Electrocochleography (ECochG)
• Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP)
• Rotational chair evaluation

Your provider will also give expert advice about your treatment options once your results are determined. Management of hearing loss and other related disorders may include prescription of hearing aids or other assistive listening devices, as well as, orientation, fitting and follow-up with said devices. Balance therapies or recommendations may also be provided based on the outcome of your testing.

Many balance disorders need more medical management, so you may be referred to another physician for further treatment. Contact your audiologist today for a full assessment!

Hearing Health Solutions has served the Columbus, Ohio area and its surrounding communities for several years. We offer a full range of diagnostic and preventative hearing healthcare professional services, including hearing aid screening, evaluations, hearing aids sales and rehabilitative and preventative counseling. We are dedicated to keeping abreast of the latest improvements in technological advancements in the hearing industry and are committed to offering the most current options to our patients. For up-to-date hearing aid informationvisit Hearing Health Solutions blog.