Audiology, Hearing Aid & Hearing Care Services

Hearing Test for Adults & Children

We provide a full range of comprehensive diagnostic testing using state-of-the-art equipment to determine the degree and type of hearing loss if any, that you may have:

• Middle Ear Assessment: Evaluates the status of the middle ear to help with the diagnosis of middle ear disease including infection, perforation, and eustachian tube dysfunction
• Pure Tone Testing: Determines the degree and type of hearing loss
• Speech Audiometry: Assessing the ability to understand and comprehend speech
• Otoacoustic Emissions: An electrophysiologic test to measure the microscopic nerve endings of the inner ear
• Video Otoscopy: This allows you to see the inside of your ear canal
• Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)*: A neurophysiological assessment of the auditory neural pathways that are preformed when an asymmetrical hearing loss is identified to rule out lesions on the hearing nerve or in the brainstem
• Videonystagmography (VNG)*: a battery of tests performed to assess patients suffering from dizziness and/or balance disorders

*These are specialized tests that we perform for patients whose hearing evaluations deem them necessary.

Your hearing health is important. If your hearing loss goes untreated for too long your brain may permanently lose its ability to interpret sounds and hear normally.

When you come in for your hearing test, our first step is to discuss any hearing concerns you may have. Then we look in your ears and perform a series of easy and painless tests to see what type of hearing loss you have if any.

Rest assured, you may not have hearing loss at all. Hearing issues can result from ears being impacted with wax. If this is the case, you will likely need only assistance to flush the wax away.

If we do determine that you have a hearing loss, we will talk with you about our findings and ask you more questions about your lifestyle and interests.

Why so much conversation about your hearing? It’s one of the most important things audiologists can do for their patients to ensure that we identify the hearing solution that is right for you. People who live a quiet lifestyle, e.g., spending time watching TV and engaging in quiet hobbies such as woodworking or gardening, and have conversation primarily with their spouses or families in a household atmosphere are going to have very different listening needs than someone who spends a lot of time in restaurants or at sporting events. Asking questions helps us to identify the best possible hearing solution for your unique needs!

Pediatric Hearing Care

Good hearing in children is essential to normal child development. Undetected and untreated, hearing loss can lead to delayed speech and language development, social and emotional problems and academic failure. Here at Professional Audiology, we can evaluate children of all ages and provide follow-up and rehabilitative services as well as academic recommendations. The practice is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation and staffed by licensed and experienced audiologists. Audiologic evaluations are individually tailored to the age, ability and disposition of each child. A description of test procedures follows.

Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Audiometry – Infants Ages 0-6 Months

ABR: Electrophysiological testing of the auditory system used to assess hearing thresholds and measure overall hearing acuity. The test requires your child to rest quietly throughout the test.

OAE: Records a “cochlear echo” in response to test signal providing information on the integrity of hair cell function. Your child can rest quietly throughout the test.

Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) – Children Ages 6-24 Months

VRA: Evaluates the ability your child has to localize to pure tones, sound effects and monitored voice in a sound field. Responses are closely observed as sounds are presented. When your child localizes the sound, a mechanical toy is presented to reinforce the response and condition your child to turn to the sound.

Play Audiometry Children Ages 2-5 Years

Your child puts an object in a receptacle, such as a peg in a pegboard, as a response to hearing a tone. This is a fun game for your child and can provide threshold information for each ear. When testing speech audiometry at this age, your child may be asked to point to a picture of an object.

Routine Pure Tone and Speech Audiometry – Children Ages 5+ Years

Conventional testing techniques are used at this age. The child indicates he hears a tone by raising his hand as a response. For speech audiometry, words are repeated.

Treatment for Tinnitus

Often referred to as “ringing in the ears,” tinnitus is the perception of sound when no external sound is present. Some people experience roaring, hissing, whistling, chirping, clicking or other noises. Where there is currently no known “cure” for tinnitus, there are solutions to help you with its symptoms. Click here to read more about tinnitus.

Hearing Aid Fitting & Support

We specialize in advanced hearing aid technology. These user-friendly, self-adjusting devices, provide flexibility, increased comfort and understanding in noisy listening environments. Some are even Bluetooth compatible and rechargeable. The hearing aids can be adjusted to accommodate any changes in hearing.

Hearing aid fittings are both a science and an art. Together as a team, we determine the proper hearing aids to accommodate your hearing loss.

• We work primarily with Resound, Phonak, Signia, Widex and Starkey.
• We offer a wide range of hearing aid accessories depending on the model of instrument you wear, including Bluetooth hearing aids.
• Computerized analysis of hearing aids provides objective measures of hearing aid performance.

Whether you’re new to hearing aids or are an experienced hearing aid user, we:

• Help you select the right instruments for your personal listening needs.
• Fit your hearing aids to each ear to ensure that you can hear clearly and wear them comfortably.
• Provide any adjustments in programming that you may need in the coming days, months and years as you get used to wearing them.

Hearing Aids are sophisticated and delicate instruments that need good care and regular maintenance to work properly. At Professional Audiology, we:

• Check in with you to remind you when it’s time to come back for your annual evaluation.
• Routine maintenance of your devices is a standard part of our after-care service program.  We provide an affordable, on-going maintenance program.   This allows us to clean any accumulated moisture and earwax from your hearing aids and check them to make sure they are providing you with the best possible hearing clarity and comfort.

Making sure your hearing aids are properly cleaned and routinely checked will not only help you hear better but also extend the life of your hearing aids.

Click here to learn more about Hearing Aids and Hearing Aid Styles.

We also provide Custom Hearing Protection, Swim Molds, and Custom Musician Earpieces. Click the underlined links to learn more.

Hearing Aid Repair

After you make an investment in your hearing aids, you’ll want to keep them in good working order to make sure you’re always hearing as clearly as possible.

Like many electronic devices, hearing instruments are sensitive to moisture and their circuitry may, on occasion, be in need of a little more maintenance than a routine cleaning. If your hearing aids do need repair, we can help. We are able to perform most repairs the same day as your visit. If we do need to send your hearing aids to their manufacturer for repair, we may be able to provide you with a set on loan to help keep you connected with your friends and family until your hearing devices are expertly repaired.

Click here to visit our Hearing Aid Care section to learn more about keeping your hearing aids working their best!