A phoniatrist-audiologist is a doctor who deals with diseases of the voice and hearing organs. Phoniatrics and audiology are part of otolaryngology, dealing with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of voice, language and speech disorders as well as hearing disorders that can cause, among others, abnormal speech development, especially in children, and speech problems as a result of congenital or traumatic deafness.

Phoniatrics and Audiologyis one specialization in otolaryngology that focuses on pathological changes in the voice, hearing, speech and language. Patients are referred to the audiologist, phoniatrist, by their general practitioner or ENT specialist if they notice disturbances in the communication process.Phoniatricsfocuses on disorders that lead to abnormalities in the production of speech sounds, whileaudiologyfocuses on hearing impairment.

Who should go to the audiologist-phoniatrist?

People with various ailments come to the audiologist-phoniatrist, incl. chronic hoarseness, prolonged irritation or scratching in the throat or larynx, clogged ears, impaired hearing, swallowing disorders, changes in the tongue, speech loss, tinnitus. Another group of patients are people suffering from imbalances, dizziness, speech difficulties and those who have voice disorders due to the nature of their work, e.g. teachers. In addition to adult patients, the audiologist-phoniatrist also accepts children, especially those with hearing loss or partial deafness, which leads to abnormal speech development, stuttering, often suffering from ear diseases (e.g. otitis), which may result in e.g. hearing loss and speech impediments, hindering communication with the environment. The audiologist-phoniatrist also admits patients after surgery (e.g. larynx) or stroke who need to undergo rehabilitation to learn to speak again.

What does a visit to an audiologist-phoniatrist look like?

The doctor will conduct a detailed interview with the patient, so you must bring all the tests that have been performed so far to the first visit. He may ask about previous illnesses or conditions in the family. Then, in order to make a diagnosis, the audiologist-phoniatrist will conduct aphysical examination - will see, among others ears with particular emphasis on the auditory canal, Eustachian tube and eardrum, as well as nose, nasopharynx (including pharyngeal examination), larynx with vocal folds, commonly known as vocal cords. The doctor can also carry out the so-called Schwabach's test (determines the hearing time through the bone), Weber's test (checks the bone conduction of the left and right ear), Rinn's test (checks bone and air conduction), acumetric test (the patient repeats certain words spoken by the doctor in a whisper). An audiologist-phoniatrist may also order, for example, tonal or impedance audiometry, recording of auditory brainstem evoked potentials, videonystagmography (a method of diagnosing vertigo and balance disorders), computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.

What diseases are diagnosed by an audiologist-phoniatrist?

Phoniatrics and audiology is a branch of medicine dealing with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of voice, language and speech disorders as well as hearing disorders. It diagnoses, among others, such problems as:

  • conductive hearing loss
  • sensorineural hearing loss
  • retrocochlear hearing disorders (e.g. auditory neuropathy)
  • afonia, meaning the silent
  • sudden deafness
  • occupational voice diseases (e.g. singing nodules, secondary hypertrophic changes in the vocal folds, muscle paresis with phonational regurgitation)
  • vocal fold paralysis
  • Eustachian tube dysfunction
  • tinnitus
  • pronunciation defects
  • delayed speech development
  • laryngeal cancer and rehabilitation after surgery
  • stuttering

Treatment methods used in phoniatrics and audiology

Treatment methods used in audiology and phoniatrics depend on the diagnosis. The doctor may decide on conservative treatment (e.g. pharmacological), or refer the patient to surgery (e.g. implantation of hearing implants, ear surgery, treatments after diagnosing otosclerosis, palate or laryngeal surgery). An audiologist-phoniatrist can perform simple outpatient procedures, including: removal of a wax plug, punctures (e.g. at the palatine tonsils), puncture of the eardrum, but also adjusts the hearing aid. It also decides about the rehabilitation or physical therapy of the hearing, speech or balance organs, especially after surgery.

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