A person with any ear, nose, and throat issues with persistent symptoms must see a doctor. The options are either consulting an audiologist or an ENT specialist and it can get a little confusing for the person to decide which health professional to consult. Although these medical professionals appear similar in terms of their areas of treatment they differ significantly in the mode of treatment, educational qualifications, certifications, and specializations.
A person needs to be aware and understand the area of specialization of each health professional and make an informed decision about who to consult for specific issues to get better treatment outcomes.
Understanding the role of the two specialists.
ENT specialist- ENT specialists are ear, nose, and throat doctors and also called otolaryngologists. They treat trauma, diseases, and tumors in the head and neck regions and help manage the following conditions:
•Ear Problems such as loss of hearing, imbalance, earwax accumulation, damaged eardrums, infections in the ear, vertigo, and continuous ringing in the ears.
•Issues in the mouth and nose like hay fever, allergies, stuffy noses, sinus, dry mouth, mouth sores, deviated septum, and polyps in the nasal cavity.
•Throat problems like sore throats, acid reflux, swallowing issues, swelling in the windpipe, and speech difficulties.
They also handle cancers in the neck and head, perform reconstructive facial and cosmetic surgery, deploy restorative techniques, and treat allergies and multiple neurological disorders.
The treatment modalities include medications, hearing aids, implants, or surgery.
Audiologist- An audiologist focuses only on ear problems and deals with hearing loss. If a person finds it difficult to hear or follow conversations and needs to turn up volumes of devices indicates that they are developing loss of hearing and need to see an audiologist. They manage conditions that revolve around the ear’s auditory and vestibular systems. They conduct many tests and deploy testing devices to try to find the source of the ear problem and formulate a comprehensive treatment plan that includes non-medical treatment using hearing aids, cognitive-behavioral therapy etc.
Specialties of audiologists and ENT doctors
Both health professionals can provide general care and treatment to people of all age groups. Some professionals may choose to specialize in pediatrics and geriatrics.
An audiologist works on hearing aids, auditory processing conditions, issues with balance, and cochlear implants.
ENTs specialize in otology- which treats specific ear problems, rhinology- which deals with the diagnosis and treatment of nasal and paranasal sinuses, laryngology- which deals with the issues of the larynx, sleep problems, and issues with the thyroid gland.
Treatment approaches of audiologists and ENT specialists
Audiologists adopt a very non-invasive and preventative approach to treat people with ear issues. They deal with people who have had hearing loss since birth or have developed hearing and balance problems later in their lives. They identify the cause of the issue, have detailed discussions with the patient making them aware of the situation and the risks involved, and formulate treatment plans to effectively manage their condition. It is important to note that audiologists don’t perform surgery or prescribe medications. They focus on non-medical treatments like hearing aids, cognitive-behavioral therapy, etc
The ENT specialists address severe problems that require immediate attention like surgery. They are licensed doctors who can prescribe medications to people to overcome symptoms. If an ENT specialist feels the person has a general loss of hearing they refer the person to an audiologist and if the audiologist the person has a serious problem they refer them to the ENT specialist.
Audiologists and ENT specialists work with people of all age groups and gender. Since audiologists deal with hearing loss primarily their patients usually are elderly people.
ENTs deal mostly with children who have sinus problems or issues in their nose, ears, and throat.
Education
ENT specialists and audiologists both start with a bachelor’s degree in science. Audiologists can later specialize in speech pathology and communication disorders. The doctorate of Audiology (Au.D) requires four years. The first two years target foundational theoretical study material along with clinical studies and observations. The last two years are focused on practical clinical experience. Certain Au.D courses allow the students to pursue specializations like pediatric audiology.
Students aiming to be ENT specialists have to pursue graduation in pure science subjects like biology or chemistry. The study material has to meet the prerequisites of a medical school. After a bachelor’s degree, they can complete four years of medical school that has advanced classes. They also have to finish rotational clinical practicals to gain knowledge about multiple fields before choosing their specialty.
Certification
After Au.D the student is required to take the praxis exam in audiology to get the license of an audiologist. Some states and countries require proof of clinical practice hours too. If a student passes the praxis exam, they also become eligible for a certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. These certifications are important as they increase the credibility of the audiologist and further aid them in specializations like pediatric audiology and tinnitus management.
The process for an ENT is more detailed. After their medical degree, they need to go through five years of residency training. The first year focuses on general surgical techniques, three years focus on otolaryngology and the final year on additional training. If the student wants to specialize in any area they must finish an extra two-year fellowship in ENT sub-specialty.
Both audiologists and ENT specialists work in clinics and hospitals. Their work requires them to interact with multiple patients and collaborate with various departments and co-workers to provide comprehensive care to the patient.
Dealing with loss of hearing can be very frustrating. The condition disrupts communication between people and affects the daily life of a person. Before the condition worsens the person must consult an audiologist or an ENT specialist depending on his condition or based on the referral of a physician to address the problem and manage the condition effectively.