What is the Difference Between an Audiologist and a Hearing Instrument Specialist?

When you are looking to have your hearing checked, you need to make sure that you go to the right professional above all else. This person will be responsible for identifying any issues with your auditory system, as well as recommended any treatments, if needed. But, with so many different kinds of professionals that you might visit for your hearing health, how do you know which is the most suitable? Let’s take a look now at the main differences between an audiologist and a hearing instrument specialist.

The Role of an Audiologist

It might be helpful to take a brief look into the basic roles of each profession. An audiologist is a particular kind of licensed healthcare professional, who will usually have a degree in audiology at the graduate level, as well as numerous hours of clinical training.

An audiologist is able to provide diagnostic hearing evaluations that get to the bottom of your hearing loss. They will be able to provide you with the degree of your hearing loss, as well as contributing factors. They are also well-versed in recommending, fitting and adjusting hearing aids, which are the most common treatment for hearing loss. They can also diagnose other ear-related issues such as balance disorders and tinnitus.

The Role of a Hearing Instrument Specialist

On the other hand, the role of a hearing instrument specialist is really quite distinct from the role of an audiologist. A hearing instrument specialist (HIS) is someone who is trained in carrying out hearing tests for those who need to have a hearing aid fitted. However, that’s not all they will do. They will also help to fit the hearing aid, and to discuss with an individual how to use the device and how to make the most of it.

So, as you can imagine, audiologists and hearing instrument specialists very often work hand in hand together as part of a wider treatment team.

Finding an Audiologist

It is rare that the hearing instrument specialist will be your first port of call if you are having hearing difficulties and you’re looking for help. More often than not, you will first need to find an audiologist, who will be able to diagnose what the problem is, or, as we mentioned above, refer you to a medical professional. In any case, finding a qualified audiologist is the first step, and it’s important that you are putting the necessary work into finding the right one for your needs.

That might be easier than you think. It is often helpful to work on the basis of reputation. If an audiologist has a good reputation, then it’s probably a reliable sign that they have helped many people in the past, so they are worth looking into at the very least. But make sure you don’t rush the process, and find an audiologist who you feel can help you with your hearing issue.