Audiologici

Audiologici refers to items, procedures, and concepts associated with audiology, the field that studies hearing and balance and provides assessment and rehabilitation for hearing disorders. In Italian clinical language, audiologico and its plural audiologici describe tests, devices, and practices used to evaluate and manage auditory function.

The scope of audiologici includes diagnostic testing, objective and behavioral measures, and rehabilitative interventions. Diagnostic testing aims to quantify hearing thresholds and speech understanding and to assess middle-ear function. Objective measures supplement behavioral tests and can include tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, and auditory brainstem response. Rehabilitation encompasses amplification devices and related services, as well as plans for auditory training and counseling.

Common audiologic equipment and environments include an audiometer, headphones or insert earphones, a bone vibrator, tympanometers, and devices for otoacoustic emissions or neural tests. Testing is typically conducted in sound-treated rooms to minimize ambient noise. Procedures range from simple pure-tone thresholds and speech audiometry to more specialized assessments, and they often require patient cooperation, with adaptations for children or individuals with special needs.

Applications of audiologici cover diagnosis and characterization of hearing loss, monitoring ototoxicity from medications, and newborn hearing screening. They also guide the fitting, programming, and verification of amplification devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, along with rehabilitation strategies to optimize communication and quality of life.

Professionals involved include audiologists, who may work in collaboration with otolaryngologists and speech-language pathologists. Regulation and scope of practice vary by country, with licensing or certification commonly required to perform diagnostic testing and device fitting.