How Important Is To Visit An Independent Audiologist?

Visiting an audiologist is an important step to take if you have noticed any changes in your hearing or in someone around you.

If you start having problems with your hearing, you should first visit your local GP to get a thorough ear, nose and throat examination. If your local GP senses that something with your hearing is not right then they can give you a referral to an audiologist for an even greater, in depth, examination. The in depth examination will usually include pure tone, bone and speech tests. Your doctor can recommend a clinic or you can search online for an independent audiologists Australia clinic in an area near you.

There are certain general tests that your audiologist will perform which usually start off with an instrument called an otoscope. This will shine a light in your ear so the audiologist can see if anything might be blocking your ear canal like earwax or maybe something that has gotten stuck. Your audiologist will also be able to check what your ear drum looks like and will be able to see any scratches or damage.

The next test you will undertake is the bone test. This requires you going to another room and putting on a pair of headphones. The audiologist will then determine the levels you can hear at and will be done on both your ears. Another step is a vibrating object which is placed behind the bone of your ear to see how you hear. This test is done to narrow down what kind of hearing loss you may be dealing with. The next part is to determine if your hearing loss is affecting your speech so your audiologist will play a series of words at different volumes and have you repeat them to determine how your speech is.

The last test in these series of tests is performed by using a machine known as a tympanometer. This machine will change the air pressure in your ear to see how your eardrum moves in response. It will also be able to see if there is any fluid in your ear and it will be able to check if the passage from your ear to your throat is open.

If you are going first time to an audiologist, they will give you all your results to keep so you can show your results when going to get a hearing aid. Your audiologist will be able to tell you how bad or good your hearing is after performing all of these tests and will tell you if you are eligible for a hearing aid or not. If it something like earwax or an obstruction they will usually send you to a gp for medication or any further treatments.

Most people ignore the first signs of hearing loss and you shouldn’t do this, hearing loss can affect your ability to lead a normal happy life; it can affect your social life as well as make driving or walking in busy streets more dangerous for you. There have also been links of untreated hearing loss and Alzheimer’s disease. The sooner you get your hearing problems diagnosed the sooner you can lead your life like a normal person. Find an independent audiologists Australia online or get referred by your local doctor.