An audiologist is a professional who diagnoses, treats, and manages individuals with hearing loss or balance problems. Audiologists have received a Master's or Doctoral degree from an accredited university graduate program. Audiologists determine appropriate patient treatment of hearing and balance problems by combining a complete history with a variety of specialized auditory and vestibular assessments.
Based upon the diagnosis, the audiologist presents a variety of treatment options to patients with hearing impairment or balance problems. Audiologists dispense and fit hearing aids as part of a comprehensive habilitative program.
Hearing testing
Audiologists use specialized equipment to obtain accurate results about hearing loss. These tests are typically conducted in sound-treated rooms with calibrated equipment. The audiologists is trained to inspect the eardrum with an otoscope, perform limited ear wax removal, conduct diagnostic audiologic tests, and check for medically-related hearing problems.
Hearing loss is caused by medical problems about 10% of the time
Audiologists are educated to recognize these medical problems and refer patients to ear, nose and throat physicians (known as otolaryngologists). Most persons with hearing impairment can benefit from the use of hearing aids, and audiologists are knowledgeable about the latest applications of hearing aid technology.
Hearing services for infants and children
Good hearing is essential to the social and intellectual development of infants and young children. Audiologists test hearing and identify hearing loss in children of any age. This includes newborn and infant hearing screening and diagnostic hearing tests with young children. Audiologists provide hearing therapy and fit hearing aids on babies and young children with hearing loss.
Services for school children
Audiologists provide a full range of hearing and rehabilitative hearing services in private and public schools for students in all grades. Such services are essential to the development of speech, language and learning skills in children with hearing problems.
Hearing services and counseling
Audiologists are vitally concerned that every person, regardless of age, benefit from good hearing. Audiologists provide individual counseling to help those with hearing loss function more effectively in social, educational and occupational environments. It is a fact of life that we lose hearing acuity, as we grow older, and that hearing problems are commonly associated with the elderly. Audiologists are committed to helping senior citizens to hear better.
Hearing aids and assistive listening devices
Audiologists provide complete hearing aid services to clients with hearing problems. Audiologists are also experts with assistive listening equipment and personal alerting devices. Audiologists provide education and training so that persons with hearing impairment can benefit from amplification and communication devices.
Audiologists dispense the majority of hearing aids in the United States
Audiologists use the most advanced computerized procedures to individualize the fitting of hearing aids. Hearing aid options are thoroughly discussed with each potential user based on the results of a complete hearing aid test battery and the individual needs of each patient. Follow-up care and hearing aid accessories are routinely available from dispensing audiologists.
Hearing conservation programs
Prolonged exposure to loud noise causes permanent hearing loss. Because audiologists are concerned with the prevention of hearing loss, they are often involved in implementing programs to protect the hearing of individuals who are exposed to noisy industrial and recreational situations.
Hearing research
Audiologists engage in a wide variety of research activities to develop new hearing assessment techniques and new rehabilitative technologies, particularly in the area of hearing aids. Research reports of audiologists can be found in the professional literature of medical and scientific journals. Audiologists write textbooks on hearing evaluation, hearing aids and the management of people with hearing loss. Audiologists help develop professional standards and are represented on the boards of national and government agencies.
Ruth F. Samuels, M.S., CCC-A
Ruth Samuels received her undergraduate degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Ithaca College and her Masters of Science from Syracuse University. She worked for one year in the New York school system. Ruth was then employed at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for five years. She gained valuable experience working at the V.A. Hospital in Syracuse, the Easter Seal Center in Key West and the Rehabilitation Center for Children and Adults in Palm Beach.
Ruth is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the American Academy of Audiology and the Florida Academy of Audiology. She had been working for Palm Beach Ear, Nose and Throat for over 26 years.
Mindy W. Martin, Ph.D., CCC-A
Dr. Mindy Martin received her undergraduate and masters degrees, Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Queens College of the City University of New York. She earned her Ph.D. in Hearing Science from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where her research mentors were Dr. Harry Levitt and the late Dr. Irving Hochberg. She is board certified in Audiology by the American Academy of Audiology and Certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association. She holds licenses in New York and Florida.
Prior to joining Palm Beach ENT in 2005, Dr. Martin was associate professor of Audiology at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY where she designed the undergraduate curriculum in Audiology and Speech Pathology and chaired the department for 13 years. She was also on the faculty of the University of Florida doctoral audiology program. She has presented papers at national and international conferences, most recently in 2004 at the International Conference on Newborn Hearing Screening in Lake Como, Italy. Her clinical interests range from pediatric audiology (specifically Auditory Processing Disorder in children) to special testing in adults (Auditory Brainstem Response, Electrocochleography and Videonystagmography) for the evaluation of dizziness and balance disorders.
Jami L. Isaacs, M.S., CCC-A
Jami Isaacs graduated from Hofstra University in Hempstead, Long Island, New York. After graduation, Jami completed a one year fellowship at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. She has experience in the areas of audiologic evaluation, vestibular rehabilitation, and hearing instrumentation.
Jami is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association as well as the American Academy of Audiology. Jami joined Palm Beach Ear, Nose and Throat in 2005.
What Is An Audiologist
What do audiologists do?
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