Audiology focuses on the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of hearing and balance disorders.
Through a range of specialized techniques and technological support, audiology plays a crucial role in promoting auditory well-being—whether addressing emerging hearing disorders or existing deafness—so that individuals can preserve or restore their quality of life.
What is audiology
Audiology is a discipline focused on understanding how the auditory system works, identifying problems that affect its function, and providing solutions to improve or restore hearing ability.
In humans, the auditory system is not only essential for hearing sounds but also plays a crucial role in maintaining body balance. As a result, the scope of audiology also extends to conditions such as vertigo and dizziness.
The audiologist, the specialist in this field, often works closely with other healthcare professionals, such as ENT specialists and phoniatricians, to ensure comprehensive treatment.
Audiology and phoniatrics
Audiology and phoniatrics are two specialties that work closely together, as both disciplines address complementary aspects of human communication.
While audiology focuses on hearing and balance, phoniatrics addresses voice, speech, and language.
Some of the overlapping areas include:
- Diagnosis: many patients with hearing problems also have difficulties with verbal communication.
- Auditory and vocal rehabilitation: a patient with a cochlear implant or hearing aids may require phoniatric therapy to learn to speak or improve pronunciation.
- Combined disorders: some conditions, such as sensorineural hearing loss, can affect both hearing and speech pronunciation, requiring a multidisciplinary approach.
Audiometry test
Audiometry is a key diagnostic and treatment tool in audiology.
This test is designed to evaluate a person’s hearing ability and measures their capacity to hear sounds at different frequencies and intensities, making it a valuable tool to identify hearing loss and its severity.
The audiometry test is a non-invasive process in which the patient enters a soundproof booth and, using headphones, listens to sounds sent individually to each ear.
These sounds, called pure tones, vary in frequency and intensity, and the patient must indicate when they perceive them.
Speech audiometry tests may also be performed, in which the patient listens to words at different volumes through headphones and must repeat them. This helps measure understanding of spoken language.
Another type of audiometry, known as impedance audiometry, examines the functionality of the middle ear, including eardrum mobility and ossicles.
Audiometry tests help detect hearing loss and determine its type: conductive, sensorineural, or mixed.
They also help assess the impact of treatments or hearing devices and identify early hearing damage.
All this enables the design of rehabilitation strategies or the selection of appropriate hearing aids for each patient.
Audiology is an essential specialty at all stages of life, from early detection of hearing loss in newborns to managing hearing decline in older adults.
Audiologists near me
At the ABC Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Department, we have a team of audiology specialists, highly trained and dedicated to providing comprehensive and personalized care for all your hearing needs.
Our audiologists in Mexico City are committed to your well-being and use the latest technology and most advanced treatments to manage conditions such as hearing loss, childhood hearing impairment, vertigo, and more.
Fuentes:
Secretaría de Salud, Kids Health, Stanford Children
