Audiology
What is audiology?
Audiology is the clinical evaluation and management of hearing and balance problems in people of all ages. It also involves the fitting and management of hearing aids and other hearing assistive devices.
The specialist who practices audiology is called an audiologist.
Signs that may indicate the need to see an audiologist for a hearing evaluation:
- problems hearing over the telephone
- trouble following conversations when two or more people speak at once
- trouble following conversations in a setting with a noisy background
- confusion about where sounds are located
- having to ask people to repeat themselves
- problems hearing or understanding speech of children or women
- most people seem to mumble or not speak clearly
- problems with misunderstanding others and making inappropriate responses
- others notice that television volume is high
- missing sounds of telephone or doorbell ringing
- avoiding activities because of problems with hearing and understanding speech
An audiologist specializes in the
prevention, assessment and rehabilitation of auditory and vestibular disorders
for the purpose of optimizing human communication and function in people of all
ages.
They provide treatment and rehabilitation of individuals with hearing loss,
including the fitting of customized hearing instruments.
An audiologist performs specialized testing for diagnosis of balance
disorders, provides vestibular rehabilitation and manages long-term therapy.
Audiologists have graduate degrees, have completed a clinical internship and
have state licensure.
The audiologists of St. John's
Clinic-Ear, Nose & Throat have doctoral degrees in audiology. Our audiologists are
Fellows of the
American Academy of Audiology. They hold the Certificate of Clinical
Competence in Audiology from the
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. This certification demands
strict guidelines pertaining to the content and amount of clinical experience
required. The state of Missouri licenses our audiologists through both the Board
of Healing Arts in Audiology and the Board of Examiners for Hearing Instrument
Specialists.
St. John's audiologists provide complete audiological care in a new, state-of-the-art facility. It is a personalized
practice of health care, in which our audiologists work with the patient, the
patient's family, friends, other health care providers and/or educational,
vocational or industrial professionals, to provide complete hearing and balance
healthcare for all ages. We are the largest clinical audiology group in
southwest Missouri with many specialized programs, including cochlear
implants.
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