Audiological medicine is a relatively new specialty spanning the investigation, diagnosis and medical management of hearing and balance disorders. Recent years have seen its growth as a separate medical discipline, although its practice depends not only upon a clear understanding of the basic sciences relevant to auditory and vestibular function, but also upon experience and knowledge in a wide range of clinical disciplines relevant to hearing and balance disorders, including genetics, immunology, pediatrics, geriatrics, neurology, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, psychiatry and general internal medicine. A Textbook of Audiological Medicine integrates the science and medicine of auditory and vestibular disorders, providing the first comprehensive textbook on the subject. There are five main sections; the first deals with both the auditory and vestibular systems, and then each system is considered in terms of the relevant basic sciences and clinical disorders.

The field of generic hearing impairment is one where rapid advances are taking place, and it can often be difficult for Audiologists to keep track of the broader picture. In this important new text the authors take a synoptic approach and summarize the causes and basis of hearing impairments, the impact on the individual and the therapies available, and the benefits and potential benefits of current developments.