When Should You See an Audiologist for Dizziness or Balance Issues?

You should see an audiologist for dizziness when your symptoms are recurring, triggered by head movements, accompanied by hearing changes or tinnitus, or making you feel unsteady enough to worry about falling. An audiologist with vestibular training can test your inner ear directly and determine whether your symptoms are coming from the balance organs or from somewhere else, which is the first step toward the right treatment. For sudden or severe symptoms combined with neurological signs, skip the audiologist and go straight to emergency care.

What an audiologist actually does for dizziness

Audiologists are doctoral-level healthcare professionals specializing in the hearing and balance systems. For dizziness, they provide diagnostic testing that maps out exactly where the problem is in your inner ear and how your brain is responding to its signals.

That testing (called a vestibular evaluation) is not something a primary care office is equipped to do. It requires specialized goggles, a sound booth, positional testing beds, and, in some cases, balance platforms. Audiologists who specialize in vestibular assessment have the equipment, training, and clinical judgment to interpret those tests in context with your symptoms.

At Northwest Speech and Hearing Center in Arlington Heights, your vestibular evaluation is led by two audiologists who have each spent their careers focused on dizziness and balance disorders.

Dr. Kimberley Franczyk is a Doctor of Audiology who brings extensive experience from major medical centers, including Rush University Medical Center, and is skilled at differentiating dizziness caused by inner ear dysfunction from issues originating in your cervical spine or central nervous system. This kind of precision helps ensure your care plan is built around the right root cause.

Dr. Michelle Petrak, PhD, brings over 30 years of vestibular research experience and has helped develop diagnostic tools used by clinicians around the world. In 2024, she was inducted into the Bárány Society, a prestigious international organization recognizing the world’s leading experts in vestibular science. That means your evaluation uses the same diagnostic criteria used in leading research centers worldwide.

An audiologist’s role in your care is diagnostic. We identify what’s happening, and then coordinate with your physician or refer you to a physical therapist or specialist for the appropriate treatment. Vestibular rehabilitation is done by physical therapists. Medications are prescribed by physicians. Surgery, when needed, is done by ENT surgeons. The audiologist is the person who figures out which of those paths your symptoms actually point to.

Audiologist, ENT, or primary care: who do you see first?

This is one of the most common questions patients ask, and the answer depends on your symptoms.

When to start with an audiologist

• Your dizziness has a clear pattern (triggered by head movements, lasting a certain duration, recurring over time)
• You also have hearing changes, tinnitus, or a feeling of fullness in one ear
• You’ve fallen recently or feel at risk of falling
• You want a specific diagnosis of what’s causing your balance symptoms
• Your primary care doctor has suggested vestibular testing

When to start with a primary care physician

• You’re not sure whether your symptoms are vestibular or something else (blood pressure, medication, heart rhythm)
• You have multiple chronic conditions that might contribute to dizziness
• You need a referral to work through your insurance

When to start with an ENT (otolaryngologist)

• You have sudden hearing loss along with dizziness (this is a medical emergency, sometimes time-sensitive)
• You have drainage, pain, or visible abnormalities in the ear
• Your audiologist or primary care doctor has recommended an ENT evaluation

When to skip the audiologist and go to the ER

• Dizziness appears suddenly with severe headache, chest pain, trouble speaking, weakness or numbness on one side, double vision, or loss of consciousness
• You have a severe fall with injury

These aren’t hard walls. Audiologists, ENTs, physicians, and physical therapists frequently work together on the same patient. What matters is starting somewhere sensible and letting the clinicians coordinate from there.

Symptoms that warrant an audiology visit

Consider scheduling an appointment with an audiologist if you’re experiencing any of the following:

• Brief spinning episodes triggered by head movements (rolling over in bed, bending, looking up). This pattern is classic for BPPV, which an audiologist can often diagnose and treat in the same visit. BPPV treatment typically involves a simple repositioning maneuver.
• Episodes of vertigo lasting 20 minutes to several hours, especially if combined with hearing changes or ringing in one ear. This pattern suggests more differential diagnosis, which requires audiometric documentation for diagnosis.
• Unsteadiness when walking, particularly in the dark or on uneven ground. This can indicate inner ear weakness that benefits from targeted rehabilitation.
• Dizziness after a head injury or ear infection. These events can disrupt inner ear function, and testing documents the extent of the problem.
• Any fall in the past year, whether or not you were injured. Falls are a specific medical concern, and vestibular contributors are often overlooked.
• Hearing changes alongside balance symptoms. The inner ear houses both hearing and balance organs, and audiologists are uniquely equipped to evaluate both at once.
• Recurring dizziness without a clear explanation. If your primary care doctor hasn’t found an obvious cause, a vestibular evaluation can identify or rule out inner ear involvement.

What to expect at your first visit

Your first appointment focuses on understanding your symptoms and planning the right testing. You will have received the paperwork ahead of time and the audiologist will review it all with youExpect a conversation about:

• When your symptoms started and how they’ve changed
• What the sensation feels like (spinning, lightheaded, unsteady, floating)
• How long episodes last and what triggers them
• Any hearing changes, tinnitus, ear fullness, or ear pain
• Your medical history, medications, and recent illnesses or injuries
• How are the symptoms affecting your daily life

The audiologist will perform a hearing test during the same visit, because hearing patterns provide useful diagnostic clues. A full vestibular evaluation may be scheduled separately, depending on what your symptoms suggest and how the practice is set up.

Bring:

• A list of your current medications, including over-the-counter drugs
• Notes on when your symptoms happen, how long they last, and what triggers them
• Any prior test results or imaging related to dizziness or hearing
• A driver, if possible, in case testing leaves you briefly unsteady

How to choose the right audiologist

Not every audiologist performs vestibular testing. When you’re looking for an audiologist for dizziness, a few things to check:

• Do they specifically list vestibular or balance evaluations among their services? Not all audiology practices do this testing.
• Do they have experience and training in vestibular assessment? Specialized training matters. The tests and their interpretation aren’t simple.
• Do they do advanced testing beyond a VNG? Only two practices in Chicagoland, do as specialized testing as our office provides.
• Do they coordinate with physicians and therapists? Diagnosis is only useful if the next step is clear. Practices that work closely with ENTs, neurologists, and vestibular physical therapists make the handoff smoother.
• Is their approach individualized? Good vestibular care isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your history and symptoms should shape which tests are done and in what order.

Reading reviews, asking your primary care physician for a recommendation, or checking professional directories are all reasonable starting points. The right audiologist should be willing to explain what testing will be done and why, without pressure.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re experiencing dizziness, vertigo, or balance concerns and you’ve been putting off seeking care, please don’t wait. Symptoms that linger often have treatable causes, and the sooner you get an accurate diagnosis, the sooner you can start feeling steadier.

Northwest Speech and Hearing Center is Chicagoland’s leader in advanced vestibular and dizziness diagnostics, and the only private practice in the area offering this level of comprehensive testing. Your sense of balance depends on a complex partnership between your inner ear, vision, muscles, and central nervous system, so rather than relying on standard testing alone, we evaluate every major component of that system, often in a single visit. Our team can test all six semicircular canals, leading to a faster, more precise diagnosis and a treatment plan built around what you actually need. From there, we work closely with physicians and therapists across the Chicago area to make sure you get the right care.

Schedule your appointment at Northwest Speech and Hearing Center in Arlington Heights and take the first step toward feeling steady again.

This article is for informational purposes and not a substitute for medical advice.