How to Find an Audiologist Near Me

When it comes to having your hearing tested, you are going to need a hearing specialist. A hearing specialist can come with many different labels and it is a handy to be familiar with what they mean.

Who are you looking for?

Audiologist

An Audiologist is a health care professional with either a BAAT certification, bachelor and or master degree qualification. They will assess your hearing and related disorders. An audiologist can assess the hearing of all ages from newborn babies, school age children to those that are eldery. Can be found working in an audiology department or in private practice. You may also come across student audiologists and trainee audiologists. Each whom will have been trained to conduct a hearing test during their studies and will be under supervision of audiologists and senior team members.

An audiologist is your most likely professional to be conducting your hearing test. To find your nearest audiologist, visiting your GP is your first point of call. They will refer you to your nearest audiology department. A hearing assessment by an audiologist will roughly last between 45 minutes to 1 hour long. This will involve a full history of your health, ear complaints as well as a thorough examination of your ear using an auroscope. They will then conduct pure tone audiometry and tympanometry if required, one of which is a subjective test and the other is an automated measurement test.

Could they perform your hearing test - YES

They will be registered with Register Counicl for Clinical Physiologists (RCCP) and or the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and should be able to find them on the registar held either https://www.rccp.co.uk/ or http://www.hpc-uk.org/check/ .

Hearing Aid Dispenser

Is a fully qualified qualified practitioner that is licenced to be able to charge for a hearing service. Their role is to assess hearing, fit hearing aids and provide on going rehabilitation and support.

Many trainee hearing aid dispenser’s are trained within a company through relevant courses. Some audiologists are also hearing aid dispensers.

The majority of hearing aid dispensers you will find at high street branch practices but also working within the NHS. They conduct hearing tests for adults and not children. If you go to have your hearing tested by a private company then your hearing specialist will be a qualified hearing aid dispenser. This person may or may not also be an audiologist too.

You can expect to have your hearing tested using pure tone audiometry for both of your ears and your hearing test should be explained to you by the hearing aid dispenser. You should feel no pressure to purchase any hearing aid or equipment there. Some private companies offer a free hearing test and others charge a rate for the consultation very similar price to an eye examination.

Could they perform your hearing test - YES (if you are an adult)

All hearing aid dispensers should have a registered number with the HCPC, you will be able to check your hearing aid dispensers name via the HCPC register found here http://www.hpc-uk.org/check/

Hearing Therapist

A hearing therapist is a specialist in the rehabilitation of hearing loss or an assosiated disorder such as tinnitus or vertigo. They offer counselling and practical solutions around or instead of use of a hearing aid. They provide support to those experiencing emotional and psycolohial effects caused by audiological related problems. A hearing therapist is not a professional who will test your hearing but will be a helpful professional to see if a hearing loss has been diagnosed.

Hearing therapist generally come from a counselling background but can also be an experienced audiologist that specialised in hearing therapy. Some hearing therapists set up group councelling sessions and provide lip reading tutorials.

Could they perform your hearing test - NO (not for a hearing therapy consulation)

Audiological Scientist

An audiological scientist is a clinical scientist who will have a Masters in Audiology specialising in the diasnoisis and treatment of hearing, tinnitus and balance disorders. You are less likely to meet an audiological scientist for routine hearing test, however if you require more specialist hearing or balance testing then you will be seen by a audiological scientist then. An audiologist scientist is often found as a senior member of an audiology department or working within research.

Could they perform your hearing test - YES (lhowever, likely to be seen for more specialist testing)

Ear and Nose Consultant or Otolaryngologists

ENT consultants are physicians who have specialised in assessing and treating disorders and diseases of the ear, nose and throat. In comparison to an audiologist who assesses hearing an ENT consultant is looking at the physical ability and health of the ear. An ENT consultant is not going to test your hearing but will find you having a hearing test an important process to them assessing and addressing the health of your ear. If you are referred via an ENT consultant regarding an ear complaint, you may also be visiting audiology (which tends to be next door) for a hearing test also.

They are a highly trained individual with many years experience working as a doctor. They will also perform surgery such as cochlea implantation, grommets or removal of exostoses (surfers ear) from the ear canal.

Could they perform your hearing test - NO (they do however use the results of your hearing test to understand your ear health)