When to see an audiologist
Common reasons people book a consultation.
- Hearing loss, or a child not responding to sound
- A newborn hearing screening that needs following up
- Delayed or unclear speech in a child
- Stammering, voice loss or hoarseness
- Swallowing difficulty after a stroke
What an audiologist does
Audiologists assess hearing and balance and help people manage hearing loss, including selecting and fitting hearing aids and programming cochlear implants. Speech-language pathologists assess and treat difficulties with speech, language, voice, fluency and swallowing. In India the two are often trained together, through a Bachelor in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (BASLP) and a Master's (MASLP). They are allied health professionals, not medical doctors. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists are registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India, and allied and healthcare professions are also being brought under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions.
Audiologists work closely with ENT surgeons, who diagnose and treat the medical and surgical causes of hearing loss, and with paediatricians, since hearing matters for a child's speech and language development. Speech-language pathologists work with paediatricians, neurologists and ENT surgeons, and in stroke and head and neck cancer rehabilitation.
People reach an audiologist or speech-language pathologist on referral or directly. For sudden hearing loss, ear pain, discharge or dizziness, see a doctor first, usually an ENT surgeon, so that a medical cause is not missed.
- Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears: see an ENT doctor the same day or go to an emergency department, as early treatment matters
- Dizziness with weakness, numbness, difficulty speaking or a severe headache: call 108
- Choking or repeated coughing when swallowing with breathing difficulty: seek emergency care
Conditions audiologists treat
Age-related hearing loss
Gradual difficulty hearing speech, especially in noise, often helped by hearing aids.
Noise-related hearing loss
Hearing damage from loud work or leisure noise; prevention and hearing protection are part of care.
Hearing concerns in babies and children
Following up newborn hearing screening, or a child who does not respond to sounds.
Tinnitus
Ringing or buzzing in the ears; assessment and strategies to manage it.
Balance problems
Tests of the inner ear balance system, alongside the ENT surgeon or neurologist.
Delayed or unclear speech in children
Assessment and therapy for speech and language development.
Stammering and voice problems
Therapy for fluency, and for hoarseness or voice strain after ENT assessment.
Swallowing difficulty
Assessment and therapy after a stroke, head and neck cancer treatment, or in neurological conditions.
Tests and procedures you may come across
Pure tone audiometry
Beeps at different pitches through headphones to measure hearing levels in each ear.
Tympanometry
A quick test of how the eardrum and middle ear move.
OAE and BERA
Tests that do not need a response from the person, used for newborns and young children.
Hearing aid trial and fitting
Choosing, fitting and fine-tuning a hearing aid, with follow-up adjustments.
Cochlear implant programming
Setting up and adjusting the implant after surgery, with auditory training.
Speech and language assessment
Standardised assessment of understanding, expression and speech sounds.
Speech, voice and swallowing therapy
Regular sessions with exercises and strategies to practise at home.
Audiologist or another specialist?
The nearest neighbouring specialities, and when each is the right door.
Before your first visit
- Bring any earlier hearing tests, ENT reports and letters, with dates.
- Note when the problem started, whether it affects one or both ears, and any ringing, dizziness, pain or discharge.
- For a child, bring the newborn screening result if available, and notes on speech milestones and concerns from school.
- Avoid loud noise for a day before a hearing test if possible; it can affect the result temporarily.
Qualifications and registration to check
Registered with the body for that profession, such as the Rehabilitation Council of India or the allied and healthcare professions councils. Every profile on The Doctor Index shows the registration number and says whether it has been checked against the register.
How to check a registrationQuestions about seeing an audiologist
Is an audiologist a doctor?
No. Audiologists are allied health professionals who test hearing and provide hearing aids and rehabilitation. Medical and surgical treatment of ear disease is done by an ENT surgeon.
When should a child's hearing be tested?
Newborn hearing screening is offered in many hospitals. Any child who does not respond to sounds, or whose speech is delayed, should have a hearing test at any age.
Will a hearing aid restore normal hearing?
Hearing aids make sounds easier to hear but do not restore normal hearing. Most people need a period of adjustment and several fine-tuning visits.
What qualifications should an audiologist or speech therapist have?
Usually a BASLP, and often an MASLP. Ask for their Rehabilitation Council of India registration.
Can speech therapy help adults?
Yes. Speech-language pathologists work with adults after a stroke or head injury, with voice and fluency problems, and with swallowing difficulties.
Also searched as: hearing test, speech therapist, hearing aid.
Written by The Doctor Index on 27 Sep 2026, and has not yet been reviewed by a clinician. General information, not advice about your own situation.