American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org An Audiologist is… An audiologist is a state licensed health-care professional that holds either a doctoral degree or a master’s degree in audiology from an accredited university. Audiologists perform any of the following functions: oprescribe and fit hearing aids oassist in cochlear implant programs operform ear or hearing-related surgical monitoring odesign and implement hearing conservation programs and newborn hearing screening programs oprovide hearing rehabilitation training such as auditory training speech reading listening skills improvement

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Want to Be an Audiologist? Audiology is a highly recognized profession and has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the Best Careers in 2006, 2007, and Audiologists work in a variety of settings, such as: oHospitals, clinics, private practice, ENT offices, universities, K-12 schools, government, military, and VA hospitals.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Over 36 million Americans Suffer from Hearing Loss! That is over 4 times the amount of people living in New York City! Over 5 million children and young adults under the age of 18 suffer from Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org How We Hear: Outer Ear The outermost part of the ear is called the pinna. The pinna acts like a funnel directing sound waves into the ear canal. The sound waves then travel through the ear canal to the ear drum. The sound waves vibrate the ear drum and those vibrations are transmitted to the middle ear.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org How We Hear: Middle Ear The middle ear is made up of the hammer, anvil, and stirrup bones. These three bones are the smallest in the body and are collectively known as the ossicles. The ossicles amplify and transfer the sound vibrations from the ear drum to the inner ear. hammer anvil stirrup

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org How We Hear: Inner Ear The inner ear is made up of the semicircular canals and the cochlea. Each part of the inner ear is very different in form and function to the human body. semicircular canals cochlea

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Inner Ear: Semicircular Canals The semicircular canals are the portion of the ear that helps detect movement and maintain balance. The semicircular canals are filled with fluid, and as we move, it is that fluid that allows us to detect the movement and maintain our balance. semicircular canals

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Inner Ear: The Cochlea The cochlea houses the organ of Corti. As sound vibrations move through the cochlea, they vibrate the microscopic hair cells found within the organ of Corti. The vibrations of these hair cells trigger the electrical impulses sent to the brain from the auditory nerve, allowing us to hear. From David J. Lim. Functional Structure of the Organ of Corti: A Review. Hearing Research, 22 (1986) Elsevier cochlea auditory nerve

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Types of Hearing Loss Sensorineural Hearing Loss Conductive Hearing Loss Mixed Hearing Loss The safest way to determine if you have a hearing loss is to visit your audiologist for a hearing evaluation. An audiologist can work with you to determine the best treatment option for your hearing loss.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Is permanent and sometimes preventable. Is the most common form of hearing loss. Can affect people of all ages. Is a high frequency hearing loss, that can occur from aging and/or noise exposure (Noise-Induced Hearing Loss). Does not have any medical or surgical treatment options, in most cases. o Hearing aids are the primary treatment (an audiologist should be your primary health-care provider for testing and fitting hearing aids). o A cochlear implant may be considered for patients with severe or profound cases of this form of hearing loss.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Sensorineural Hearing Loss Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the microscopic hair cells within the organ of Corti are damaged. Once the hair cells are damaged, they do not regenerate. From David J. Lim. Functional Structure of the Organ of Corti: A Review. Hearing Research, 22 (1986) Elsevier

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org KNOW THE SIGNS: Trouble hearing conversation in a noisy environment such as restaurants. Difficulty or inability to hear people talking to you without looking at them. A constant buzzing or ringing in your ears (tinnitus). Do You have Sensorineural Hearing Loss? High-frequency hearing loss may be difficult to “self-diagnose” because it occurs slowly over time. People with this form of hearing loss often can still hear, but they cannot hear clearly.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Conductive Hearing Loss Some causes of conductive hearing loss are: Blockage in the ear canal from: o Ear wax (cerumen) build- up. o A foreign object. Fluid occupying the middle ear space, often due to an ear infection, also called otitis media. Happens when the sound waves are not able to reach the inner ear.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Mixed Hearing Loss Hearing loss that involves both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss components.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org People with untreated hearing loss (people with hearing loss who do not wear hearing aids) can experience a decreased quality of life. Sadness Depression Anxiety Paranoia Poor Social Relationships

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Degrees of Hearing Loss Audiologists use general terms to characterize the degree of hearing loss. o Normal o Mild o Moderate o Severe o Profound The category of hearing loss represents the softest level of sound (decibels) you can hear at different pitches.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org The Hearing Evaluation Audiologists perform a hearing evaluation to determine the type and severity of the hearing problem. There are three parts to a hearing evaluation: Review of your medical and hearing history. Visual examination of the eardrums and ear canals. The hearing test.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org The Hearing Test An audiologist will place you in a sound booth to test your hearing at different pitches (frequency) and decibel levels. You will be asked to listen to a series of specific sounds and indicate which ones you hear. The results are noted on an audiogram that your audiologist will review with you.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Protecting your hearing is just as important as protecting your eyes or teeth. Wear hearing protection in noisy environments (marching band, concerts, sporting events, industrial classes…) o Ear plugs Take breaks from noisy environments. Walk away from the noise and give your ears a break. Turn down the volume on your car stereos, MP3 players, and home stereos.

American Academy of Audiology | HowsYourHearing.org Do you or someone you know have a hearing problem? Do you want to learn more about a career in audiology? Visit to find an audiologist near you. Questions???