What Is an Audiologist? Role in Hearing Loss Diagnosis and Care

You turn up the TV volume again. Conversations in restaurants become guesswork. A persistent ringing fills quiet evenings. These patterns build slowly until you wonder where to start. What is an audiologist? becomes the practical question. An audiologist assesses hearing function, diagnoses the hearing profile, and creates rehabilitation plans that restore communication clarity. At 3 Senses ENT & Dental Clinic in Sector 57, Gurgaon, the Audiology Department supports patients acrossall ages with hearing and speech challenges through structured testing and personalised care pathways.

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What is an audiologist?

• What is an audiologist: A hearing specialist trained to measure hearing ability, identify hearing patterns, and design rehabilitation that matches daily communication demands
• Core responsibilities include:
  • Conduct hearing tests that map frequency response and speech understanding ability
  • Analyse test patterns to distinguish conductive from sensorineural hearing loss
  • Recommend treatment pathways based on hearing profile and lifestyle requirements
  • Fit and program digital hearing aids with patient-specific sound adjustments
  • Guide speech and auditory rehabilitation programs for communication improvement
• Audiologists work alongside ENT specialists but focus specifically on hearing function and rehabilitation rather than medical ear conditions

Hearing loss patterns patients notice

• Hearing loss affects speech clarity more than volume in the early stages
• Day-to-day signs include:
  • Missing “s,” “f,” “th” sounds while louder vowels remain audible
  • Needing visual cues to follow conversations
  • Telephone conversations require more effort than face-to-face talks
  • Background noise overwhelms foreground speech
  • Fatigue after extended listening periods
• These patterns suggest frequency-specific hearing changes that targeted assessment can clarify

Tinnitus: sounds only you hear

• Tinnitus creates ringing, buzzing, hissing, or humming perceived internally
• Common patterns audiologists evaluate:
  • Constant vs intermittent sound presence
  • Low-pitch roar vs high-pitch ringing
  • Single-ear vs both-ear patterns
  • Volume changes with stress, fatigue, or silence
• Hearing assessment maps tinnitus frequency against the hearing loss profile
• Treatment focuses on reducing the perception impact rather than eliminating sound generation

Diagnostic workflow: from symptoms to hearing profile

• An audiologist follows a structured assessment sequence:
  • Case history collection (15 minutes):
    • Symptom onset timeline and progression pattern
    • Occupational and recreational noise exposure history
    • Family hearing patterns and medical conditions
    • Current communication challenges across environments
  • Otoscopy (external ear canal check for wax, inflammation)
  • Hearing test battery (detailed below)
  • Results counselling with treatment recommendations

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Audiological testing battery explained

• Pure tone audiogram:
  • Patient raises hand or presses button for heard tones across the 250-8000 Hz range
  • Results plot hearing thresholds by frequency (air vs bone conduction)
  • Identifies conductive (middle ear) vs sensorineural (inner ear/nerve) patterns
• Impedance testing (tympanometry):
  • The probe seals the ear canal and varies the air pressure
  • Measures eardrum mobility and middle ear pressure status
  • Detects fluid presence, eustachian tube function, and perforation
• SISI (Short Increment Sensitivity Index):
  • Tests the ability to detect 1 dB intensity changes
  • Helps differentiate cochlear damage patterns
  • Supports precise hearing aid programming
• Tone decay test:
  • Patient signals when the sustained tone fades to inaudible
  • Assesses auditory nerve adaptation characteristics
  • Guides rehabilitation planning for neural hearing patterns

Custom treatment plans from test results

• Audiologist creates plans matching hearing profile to lifestyle demands:
  • Mild hearing loss (26-40 dB): Monitor + communication strategies
  • Moderate loss (41-55 dB): Hearing aids + auditory training
  • Severe loss (71-90 dB): Advanced amplification + lipreading support
  • One-sided loss: CROS hearing systems for sound localisation
• Plans specify:
  • Device type (BTE, RIC, ITE) and technology level
  • Follow-up schedule (1 week, 1 month, 3 months)
  • Rehabilitation goals and home practice

Digital hearing aids: technology meets individual needs

• Modern digital hearing aids process sound in real-time:
  • Directional microphones focus forward in noise
  • Noise reduction algorithms suppress background chatter
  • Frequency compression shifts high frequencies into the audible range
  • Bluetooth streaming connects to phones and TVs directly
• Audiologist customises through:
  • Real ear measurement: Probe tube verifies actual ear canal amplification
  • Speech mapping: Ensures conversation frequencies receive proper gain
  • Fine-tuning sessions: Adjusts based on real-world feedback

Speech & hearing rehabilitation programs

• Structured programs improve communication when hearing aids alone are insufficient:
  • Auditory training: Discriminate similar speech sounds (/s/-/sh/, /b/-/p/)
  • Listening practice: Progress from quiet to +10dB signal-to-noise ratio
  • Communication strategies: Positioning, speechreading, repair phrases
  • Family counselling: Optimal speaking distance, lighting, noise reduction
• Progress measured through:
  • Pre/post therapy audiograms
  • Speech recognition scores in quiet/noise
  • Patient-reported communication ease scales

When patients choose an audiology assessment

• Schedule evaluation when noticing:
  • Consistent repetition requests across communication partners
  • Telephone conversations require a speakerphone
  • Tinnitus interferes with concentration or sleep
  • Fatigue after social or work conversations
  • Missing safety sounds (doorbell, stove timer)

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Schedule Your Audiology Assessment Today

3 Senses ENT & Dental Clinic Audiology Department in Sector 57 Gurgaon, provides complete hearing assessment, diagnosis, and rehabilitation for hearing loss and tinnitus concerns. Call +91 88262 62607 or email us at info@3sensesclinics.com to book your appointment. The clinic offers audiograms, impedance testing, SISI, tone decay tests, digital hearing aids, and speech & hearing rehabilitation programs tailored to your communication needs. Assessment clarifies what is an audiologist services and creates your personalised hearing care plan.

FAQs

1. What is the main role of an audiologist?

What is an audiologist who assesses hearing function, diagnoses hearing patterns, and creates rehabilitation plans. Audiologists conduct tests like audiograms and impedance testing, fit digital hearing aids, and guide speech & hearing rehabilitation programs.

2. What conditions do audiologists treat?

Audiologists treat hearing loss, tinnitus, balance disorders, and auditory processing challenges. They manage hearing aid fitting, tinnitus counselling, speech rehabilitation, and communication strategies for patients of all ages.

3. Are audiologists called doctors?

Audiologists hold doctoral-level training (AuD degree) but use “audiologist” professionally, not “doctor.” They specialise in non-medical hearing assessment and rehabilitation, referring surgical cases to ENT specialists.​

4. Can audiologists remove earwax?

Yes, audiologists perform cerumen management using safe techniques like irrigation, suction, and manual removal. This supports accurate hearing test results and improves sound transmission when wax blocks the ear canal.​