Audiology And Audiologists - All You Need To Know About Them!

What is audiology?

Audiology is the branch of science which studies disorders related to hearing and balance. Practitioners of audiology are known as audiologists. Audiologists employ various testing strategies to determine the problems that a person is facing and what the reason is for the problem. Audiology also determines if a person can hear within the normal hearing range or not. If he/she is not able to listen then they determine exactly which portion of the hearing mechanism is affected.

Audiology is a vast field with a lot of different elements. Audiologists not only test the hearing of people but they also work in rehabilitating individuals. People who have had hearing problems can get rehabilitated by audiologists. So, now that you have a brief idea about Audiology, we will be discussing its history.

History of Audiology:

No one knows exactly who coined the term ‘Audiology’. The terms ‘Audiology’ and ‘Audiologist’ have been traced back to 1946 when it first appeared in different medical publications. Robert Galambos has credited Hallowell Davis as the person who has coined the term in the 1940s.

Audiology emerged as a separate field after the Second World War as a huge number of veterans were suffering from hearing loss. This created a need for audiologists and the demand for audiologists ultimately created the field of audiology. Since then Audiology and it's different components are treated as important as other medical fields.

Thousands of people every year suffer from various disorders and other audio related issues which make it really important and popular.

What Audiologists Take Care Of?

A healthcare professional who specialises in diagnosing, identifying, treating and monitoring disorders related to the vestibular and auditory systems of the ear is known as an Audiologist. Audiologists are trained to treat people who are suffering from hearing problems or total loss of hearing. Other problems related to hearing and the ear are also treated by audiologists.

Infants who suffer from hearing loss along with their families are also counselled by audiologists. Audiologists are trained professionals and they have training in hearing aids, electrophysiology, cochlear implants, etc. Audiologists conduct hearing exams and they also fit, adjust and maintain hearing aids.

Another key treatment that audiologists do is treating balance disorders. They are also specialised in treating tinnitus as well. Speech rehabilitation is also done by audiologists.