Hearing Doctors: What Specialist Should I See For Hearing Loss? (2024)

If you have difficulty with your hearing, it’s recommended (although not always required) that you see a medical professional prior to treatment or purchasinghearing aids. A good first step is to contact your primary care physician, who may refer you to a specialist’s office. Depending on your health insurance coverage, you may be able to skip this referral step, or you may need their authorization to schedule an appointment with a specialist.

One such specialist is an otolaryngologist. An otolaryngologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the care of conditions that affect the head and neck, including the ears, nose and throat. They are often referred to as ENT doctors, which stands for “ear, nose and throat.”

Your primary care physician may also refer you to an otologist, which is an ENT with further medical training to diagnose and treat conditions of the ear specifically, such as hearing loss and balance disorders.

When It’s Best to See an Otolaryngologist or Otologist

Consider scheduling an appointment with an otolaryngologist or otologist if you experience:

• Any changes to your hearing, whether gradual orsudden
• Ringing, buzzing or other sounds in your ears, known astinnitus
• Painful ears, including when chewing, in high altitudes or when lying down
• Drainage or discharge from the ears
• Difficulties with balance or spinning sensations, includingvertigo
• Hearing that is worse in one ear
• Other concerns with your head, neck or throat

It can also be helpful to see an otolaryngologist or otologist if you want to be considered for implantable hearing devices, such as acochlear implant.

If you require further specialized care for your ears, there are doctors called neurotologists who specialize in neurological issues related to the inner ear and surgical interventions.

“A neurotologist is an otolaryngologist who has an additional two years of training to better understand and treat medical and surgical disorders of the ear, including those that are neurology related, such as skull base tumors and balance disorders,” says Viraj Patel, M.D., an otolaryngologist with Triangle Sinus Center in Durham, North Carolina. “Given their additional training, a neurotologist may be better equipped than a general otolaryngologist to manage hard-to-treat or recurrent ear problems that have failed initial management,” adds Dr. Patel.

Otologist and neurotologist skill sets often overlap, and many physicians have both distinctions.

When It’s Best to See a Neurotologist

Consider scheduling an appointment with a neurotologist if you experience:

• Hearing loss that needs implantable hearing devices (such as cochlear implants or bone-anchored systems) when there’s limited benefit from hearing aids
• Tumors of the temporal bones/skull base
• Tumors of the nerves related to the ears, such as an acoustic neuroma
• Vertigo or dizziness that is not improving even after treatment
• Hearing loss that isworse in one ear

An audiologist is a health care professional who receives intensive training in identifying, assessing, preventing and managing hearing and balance disorders of people of all ages. Today, the entry-level degree to practice audiology is a clinical doctoral degree in audiology. There are also experienced audiologists who hold master’s degrees in audiology and audiologists who have a PhD in audiology.

“Audiologists aren’t physicians, so they’re limited in how and what they can diagnose and treat,” explains Lauren Doolittle, Au.D., an audiologist in Pennsylvania who specializes in diagnostics and hearing aids. “Certain symptoms and results may raise red flags that would prompt an audiologist to refer to medical treatment.”

However, Medicare beneficiaries specifically may visit an audiologist to address non-acute hearing loss once every 12 months without a physician referral.

Audiologists often work within offices that have other ear health specialists, such as ENTs, which makes the medical referral process more efficient. Many audiologists have successful standalone practices as well and uphold good relationships with local physicians for their referrals.

An audiologist can determine whether a hearing aid is warranted andwhat options would best suit your hearing needs. Audiologists can provide hearing assessments to identify a hearing loss, identify hearing aid candidates and candidates for cochlear implants, recommend useful hearing technologies, make appropriate referrals when needed, perform balance assessments, provide vestibular rehabilitation and dispense, program and support various hearing technologies.

Some audiologists are also trained in hearing conservation, the prevention of significant hearing loss from things that are harmful to the ear, such as loud noise exposure or toxic chemicals. For example, audiologists can take custom molds of your ears for noise-reducing earplugs if you’re a hunter or musician.

Audiologists can work within school districts as well to ensure children with hearing loss have access to educational environments that are sensitive to their individual needs and help them succeed.

Audiologists can also perform aural rehabilitation services (a specialized program of strategies and counseling) for children and adults alike to help strengthen their hearing and listening skills.

When It’s Best to See an Audiologist

Consider scheduling an appointment with an audiologist if you experience changes to your hearing, whether gradual or sudden, or ringing, buzzing or other sounds in your ears. Audiologists can also help:

• Answer questions about hearing technologies for children and adults
• Provide hearing aid repairs and adjustments
• Offer custom hearing protection options
• Discuss hearing conservation programs available in the workplace
• Explore communication strategies for better listening
• Offer information on educational considerations for children with hearing loss
• Provideassistive listening devicesto help with your hearing beyond hearing aids
• Conduct evaluations for auditory processing disorders

A hearing instrument specialist (HIS) is a health care professional who is trained to test your hearing and fit hearing aids. They are licensed at the state level, and their scope of practice varies from one state to another. At a minimum, most states require a high school diploma before beginning the training program, which includes coursework and mentorship from a licensed hearing health care provider.

“One might see an HIS to purchase hearing aids and have them fitted and adjusted,” says Dr. Doolittle.

When It’s Best to See a Hearing Instrument Specialist

Consider scheduling an appointment with a hearing instrument specialist if you experience gradual changes in your hearing (most likely attributed to age) and/or hearing difficulties that don’t require medical intervention. Hearing instrument specialists can also help:

• Explore your hearing aid options
• Repair broken hearing aids or service hearing aids that suddenly stopped working
• Navigate how to improve your hearing in difficult listening situations

If you’re still unsure which specialist to see regarding your hearing health, consider the following suggestion from Dr. Doolittle: “When looking for a provider, consider if they use best practices to evaluate and fit hearing loss. Comprehensive diagnostic testing, needs and goals assessments, and real ear measures (a standardized process of hearing aid verification) are usually a good start.”