What is an Audiologist and What Do They Do?
What is an Audiologist and What Do They Do? (Top video) Dr. Kenzie Reichert Audiologist, sees patients at Sound Relief in Highlands Ranch, Colorado (tinnitus treatment highlands ranch co).
Another test is called Tympanometry, it’s where I get a big tin-pan and bash you over the head with it! – Seriously? (playful music) – [Announcer] Hallux’s Hearing Helpdesk. (roaring) (loud electronic music) – Turn it down, Professor! It’s too loud! – What? Hang on, I’ll turn the volume down. Although, if you ask me, that wasn’t loud at all. I could barely hear it. – You have definitely got a problem with your hearing if you think that wasn’t loud. Look, I’ve spoken with your doctor and we’ve arranged for you to have your ears checked by an audiologist, Dr. Melanie Malleus. She’s a very good audiologist. – Malleus? Malleus?
Now that name rings a bell. Now, where…? (bleeping) – [Doctor’s Secretary] Professor Hallux, to room three, please. (door creaks) – Nanobot, Hallux, great to see you. Oof, no need to shout! My hearing seems to come and go, Doctor. At the moment, it’s right here inside my head. – Well, I understand you’ve been having some trouble with your ears since the Scientific Swimming Gala.
So, I’m going to give them a thorough check. And you don’t have to call me Doctor Malleus, you can call me Mel. – Smell? Oh, dear, that’s an unfortunate name. What were your parents thinking? – Professor! – Mel! – Ha! Only joking! Got you there, didn’t I? – Oh, very funny. So, why don’t we get started? – Yes, let’s. – The first thing I need to do is have a good look inside your ear with my special flashlight. It is called an Otoscope. – Oh, it looks a bit like a pen with a pointy microscope on the top! – A bit, yes.
Inside your ear
I’m going to gently place it in your ear, Professor, to have a really good look inside your ear. If we can see daylight, it means you haven’t got a brain and that’s a lot more a serious problem.
(wind howling) Okay, I made that last bit up. As well as looking into your ear, I have a number of ways to test your hearing. We often do these in a soundproof room like this one. (door slamming shut) – Yes, I noticed it was very quiet in here. Why do you need a soundproof room? – So no-one outside can hear your screams. (dramatic music) Sorry, just a joke there. Just trying to relax you. – I think I’d be a lot more relaxed if you stop talking about screaming.
– Oh, all right, spoil sport. It’s soundproof so you can concentrate on the tests, some of which involve very quiet sounds. I might need to put some headphones on you also. – Brilliant! Some nice music to relax me? – Uh, nope. Don’t get excited, you’re not about to hear a load of really cool tunes, not unless this is your idea of a cool tune: (bleeping). Not likely to get you dancing, is it? The beeps are made by a special machine called an audiometer, which produces sounds at different volumes and pitches.
(bleeping) – That’s a bit more like rock music!. – Every time you hear a sound, I want you to press this button to show you’ve heard the beep. (buzzing) I’m going to test each ear by themselves. First, we’ll start with your right ear. – I think I can manage that. – Another test is called Tympanometry, it’s where I get a big tin-pan and bash you over the head with it! – Seriously? – Oh, okay, only joking! I don’t hit you over the head with anything.
Tympanometry
Tympanometry is a way of checking how your eardrum moves. It can also see if you have anything gloopy blocking your middle ear. (ringing) The gloop could be waxy, lumpy, or maybe like that watery snot you get in the back of your throat when you’ve got a cold. (snoring) – Charming! – Whatever it is, it’s absolutely no help in your ear because it can make things sound rather muffled, like when you get water in your ears at the pool. If everything looks okay with your ear but you still can’t hear, I might need to check to make sure the sounds are going to your brain.
I’d just need to place some stickers on your head and connect them to my computer. I know it might look like I’m trying to read your mind… (bleeping) But it’s just to check that the sounds are going to your brain okay.
And even though it sounds a bit weird, it doesn’t hurt. At most, the stickers might tickle at bit. That’s all. – This hearing test sound quite fun. Okay, not as much fun as riding a bike or sitting down with a massive bowl of choccy ice cream. Yes, they’re really not difficult and shouldn’t hurt a bit. So are you ready for us to start? – Ready and raring to go. – [Announcer] Hallux’s Hearing Helpdesk. Found out more at about your ears and hearing at phonak.com.