Audiology

Hearing Testing

Millions of Americans have some type of hearing loss. Our licensed audiologists are experienced at testing adults and children of all ages to assess hearing ability. If hearing loss is present, they work closely with our doctors to determine if your hearing loss is medically treatable or requires the use of a hearing aid. All testing is conducted in a sound-treated booth using calibrated equipment.

The following are some of the signs that may indicate the presence of a hearing loss:

difficulty understanding what others are saying to you, especially over the telephone and in groups
needing to raise the volume of television and radio
often asking family and friends to repeat what they've said
feeling as though everybody mumbles
straining to hear others
not being able to hear/understand your grandchildren
no longer hearing birds chirping

Hearing loss may be the result of many different causes including, but not
limited to aging, noise exposure, head trauma, medication side effects (such as chemotherapy and radiation treatment), ear infections, wax build-up, genetic conditions and other unknown causes.

In children, it is not uncommon for them to fail their hearing screening
conducted at school or at the pediatrician's office. Further diagnostic testing
at our office can help determine if a hearing loss exists, to what extent, and
which treatment is appropriate. Good hearing is essential in children for
proper speech and language development and in the educational setting.

If you suspect a hearing loss in yourself, a family member, or your child, make an appointment to see one of the doctors and to have your hearing tested. Immediately after your diagnostic evaluation is completed, we will discuss your hearing test results with you and make appropriate recommendations.

Hearing Aids

If it has been determined that you have a hearing loss and are a candidate for hearing aids, our audiologists will be happy to discuss this with you. We offer courtesy hearing aid evaluation appointments to find out how your loss affects you in your everyday situations and determine which hearing aid is the most appropriate for you. Additionally we will explain what you may expect from a hearing aid and the procedure for getting one. We work with various hearing aid manufacturers and are able to offer you a variety of options and styles.

We fit the most advanced digital and open-fit hearing aids as well as more conventional analog devices. In-office computer programming allows your hearing aid to be adjusted to match your hearing loss, and earmold impressions produce in-the-ear devices that are custom-fit to your ear canal. We provide follow-up visits and counseling and can trouble-shoot hearing aid problems; cleaning and minor repairs are done in the office. If you think you are a candidate for a hearing aid, or already use one and are thinking about getting a new one, call us for an appointment to discuss your needs.

Custom Earmolds

Aside from hearing aids, we dispense custom earmolds for various applications. These include:

Swim molds- keep water from getting in the ears; especially useful
for children and adults with Pressure Equalization (PE) tubes for
those with chronic otitis externa (Swimmer's ear) and for those who
wish to keep water out of their ears while swimming, bathing,
showering, or at the hairdresser

Noise protection molds- reduce abrasive loud environmental sounds,
such as construction, ballistic or mechanical noises

Musicians' earmolds- filtered, to reduce the loudness of musical
instruments while maintaining natural sound quality; good for both
rehearsals and performances

Cell phone earmolds- coupled to Bluetooth and wired headsets,
these are great if you have difficulty keeping those "one-size-fits all"
ear pieces in your ears.

Music player earmolds- attach to your music player headphone
earbuds to keep them from falling out of your ears; especially helpful
if you use your music player while exercising.

If you think any of these custom earmolds might be good for you, call us to
make an appointment for an ear impression.

We look forward to helping you with any hearing issues you may have. Our
scheduling staff will be happy to arrange an appointment that is convenient
and timely to meet your individual needs.