-Otoscopy-

Using  a video camera called an otoscope Mike will begin your hearing  evaluation with a full inspection of your ear canals by looking  inside  of your ears to make sure there is no obstruction to the ear drum like  wax or any other foreign matter. In order to be able to hear clearly,  our ear canals must be free from blockages and our eardrums must be  intact.

-Air Conduction Testing-

The  next step in your hearing evaluation will begin to see how well you are  able to hear sounds of various volumes of low to high frequencies.  You  will be asked to respond to a series of beeps in a variety of tones. By  indicating when you can hear the sound being played, it provides an  understanding of the pitches you are able to hear and evaluates all  sections of your ear and tells us to what level of volume you are able  to hear such tones.

-Bone Conduction Testing-

Many  instances of hearing loss originate in the inner ear, and with bone  conduction testing we find out how well the inner ear hears by  responding to low and high frequencies. By this testing we will be able  to determine exactly how well this portion of your ear is functioning. A  device will be placed over your mastoid bone behind your ear, this  device will send vibrations directly to your skull and in a manner  similar to air conduction testing, This will help us determine how well  you can interpret various pitches and frequencies presented from the  inner ear and will inform us of what kind of hearing loss your are  experiencing.

-Speech Recognition And Word Recognition Testing-

The  final portions of your hearing evaluation are intended to determine how  well you can hear and understand spoken words. During speech  recognition testing, recorded words will be played for you at  softer  volumes until you can no longer hear them. In a similar fashion, word  recognition testing asks that you repeat the words that are played at  your comfort level of volume to analyze how well you can both hear and  understand verbal communication. If we find that you do have a hearing  impairment, the results of these two tests will be helpful in  determining how effective hearing aids will be in your daily life.

-Speech In Noise (SIN) Testing-

Hearing  speech in the presence of background noise can be significantly more  difficult than in quiet.  This testing is necessary to find out how well  you understand speech in noise like areas such as restaurants. With  this information we will be able to recommend the appropriate hearing  devices and help provide proper expectations of your ability to  understand speech in noise.

-Real Ear Measurements-

One  of  the single if not the most important procedure that could ever be  performed on you and your hearing aids is Real Ear Measurement and Live  Speech Mapping.  Real Ear Measures, or Real Ear Verification, is the  only way to ensure that your hearing aids are programmed correctly to  your hearing loss prescription. Without using Real Ear Measurement,  fitting a hearing aid is complete guesswork. At your follow up will  conduct REM to insure that your fitting is correct based on your loss to  insure your getting the maximum performance from your hearing devices.

-Custom Ear Molds / Ear Plugs-

While  discussions around hearing loss often lead to a conversation about  hearing aids, another important element to your hearing ability is often  overlooked – protecting your ears from loud sounds. Like the popular  saying goes, prevention is the best medicine, and with hearing loss this  couldn’t be more true.

It can only take one instance  of hearing a loud sound for you to sustain permanent damage to your  hearing, and unfortunately many daily noises we encounter are much  louder than what our ears can handle. With over 15% of Americans  experiencing irreversible noise induced hearing loss, one thing is  clear: more education is needed around how to adequately protect our  hearing on a regular basis. We offer different styles and makes of molds  to protect your hearing.

Whether you’re in law  enforcement, are often around industrial equipment, or even enjoy  recreational hunting or swimming, custom ear plugs and earmolds will  make a huge difference in your ability to hear for years to come.

This  direct knowledge of the impact that loud sounds can have on our hearing  is why we are such strong advocates for preventing hearing loss before  it begins. Our patients find they have the most success when using  custom ear plugs and or earmolds, as these devices are comfortable and  protect your hearing during a wide range of activities.  

-Next Step-

We  will discuss these findings in great detail. Our goal is for you to  fully understand how your hearing impairment is affecting your daily  life and to offer resources and options for treatment and recommend the  best solution to accomplish this goal.

Finding  success with your new hearing aids is largely dependent on if you have  the right technology, programmed precisely to your hearing loss  prescription using Real Ear Measurement to test the validity of the  fitting based on your hearing loss and receive excellent training on how  to use your devices by applying best practices from the beginning of  your journey of better hearing.