4 Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About Audiology

Did you know that the name audiology originates from Greek, which means “hearing” or “the science of hearing”? Or can what is defined as ‘normal’ in our culture be relative to other cultures? Here are four interesting facts about Audiology.

Audiology is a fast-growing field.

Did you know most states had a few audiologists a few decades back? The most common number of audiologists per capita was 1.96, meaning there is about 50% less than the average number of practitioners per state. They are not evenly distributed across the United States either; some states, like Minnesota and Alabama, only have one audiologist for every 300,000 citizens, while states like Massachusetts and New Mexico have two audiologists per capita. These numbers have greatly changed since the start of the millennium, with more than 13,500 audiologists employed and dispersed across the country. Now, you’ll find more than one ear doctor on Staten Island, likely more in New York. The same is also true for other states. This means that more people can consult about their hearing problems. Even better, the number of audiologists is projected to grow steadily for the next decade.

Orthotic manufacturing is the most common use of audiology

Orthotic manufacturing is one of the most frequently used procedures by audiologists in clinical settings today. This usually involves fitting a person with earmolds or hearing aids. An outside source manufactures the device after the audiologist has collected information about the person’s hearing needs, likes, and dislikes.

A degree in engineering may prepare you for a career in audiology.

Like other professions in the medical field, audiology can have specializations or generalist practices. If you are familiar with sounds, acoustics, circuits, and similar engineering topics but are unsure whether to jump to the audiology industry, think again. A degree in engineering can set you up for a career in audiology. An engineering degree is precious if you want to work with equipment focusing on hearing aid technology or cochlear implants.

Not all types of hearing loss are addressed by a hearing aid.

There are many kinds of hearing loss; not all can be treated by a hearing aid. A patient’s audiogram, which is a graph that shows how well they hear at each frequency, helps determine what kind of hearing loss that patient has. However, depending on the graph, they might be able to hear speech normally but not be able to hear specific frequencies of sound, which is called ‘frequency-specific hearing loss.’ This means a person with normal hearing in speech frequencies could still benefit from a hearing aid. On the other hand, some people have normal audiograms but still have trouble hearing noise because they cannot use their ‘good ear’ when surrounded by loud noise. This is called a ‘receiver operating characteristic’ problem, which people with this problem cannot solve by wearing a hearing aid. In all these cases, the specialty of an audiologist is needed to find the exact cause of the hearing loss and what are the best treatment options.

Audiology

Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in America, affecting 1 in 8 people. Audiologists and Audiology Assistants work to improve the lives of their patients by helping them hear better through aural rehabilitation therapies. Learning less-known facts about these health professionals can help us appreciate the difference they make in our lives.