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Audiologists
are the only professionals who are
university trained and licensed to identify,
evaluate, diagnose, and treat audiologic
disorders of hearing. Audiologists may
practice in Private Audiology Offices,
Hospitals, Medical Practices, Universities,
Public Schools, Private and Public Agencies.
All
individuals with suspected hearing loss
require audiological evaluation to determine
the type, degree, and cause of the hearing
impairment. Insurance companies and managed
care organizations are realizing that
efficient cost-effective hearing health care
requires that primary care physicians refer
patients directly to audiologists to
determine whether rehabilitation or
medical/surgical treatment is indicated.
Insurance companies recognize that only 20%
of all individuals with hearing loss require
medical or surgical treatment for their
hearing loss. Rehabilitation treatment
consists primarily of design, selection and
fitting of hearing aids and/or assistive
listening devices. These services are
provided directly by audiologists.
Services
provided by audiologists include:
-
Comprehensive Audiological Evaluations
including tests of hearing sensitivity,
speech understanding, middle ear
function, inner ear and auditory nerve
function.
-
Diagnostic Tests for Balance/Dizziness
Disorders.
- Auditory
Processing Evaluations for Children and
Adults.
- Design,
selection and fitting of hearing
instruments and/or assistive listening
devices.
- Design,
selection, installation and monitoring
of classroom amplification systems.
- Hearing
conservation programs for industry.
-
Rehabilitation therapy for hearing
disorders which might include strategies
to improve aided and unaided hearing,
speech-reading (including lip-reading)
and sign language.
-
Rehabilitation for Auditory Processing
Disorders.
-
Rehabilitation for Vestibular (balance)
Disorders.
Audiologists
hold a master’s, research doctoral (Ph.D.)
or clinical doctoral (Au.D.) degree from an
accredited university with special training
in the prevention, identification,
assessment, and rehabilitation of persons
with hearing impairments. Audiologists are
required to complete a full-time
professional experience year and pass a
demanding national comprehensive examination
following completion of their master’s or
doctoral program. Additionally, they are
required to obtain 10 continuing education
hours per year to maintain their license. By
virtue of their graduate education,
professional certification, and licensure,
audiologists are the most qualified
professionals to perform hearing tests,
dispense hearing aids and assistive
listening devices, provide rehabilitation
services and refer patients for medical
treatment.
The only
precise way to determine if you have a
hearing loss is to have your hearing
evaluated. There are a series of simple
questions you can ask yourself to confirm
you are having hearing difficulties: Do you
often ask people to repeat what they have
said? Do you need to turn the television or
radio louder than others around you? Do you
have trouble hearing on the telephone? Do
people seem to mumble? Do you have
difficulty listening to conversation when in
a restaurant or noisy listening environment?
If you answer yes to one or more of these
questions it may be time to have your
hearing tested.
No. Hearing
aids simply bring the level of loudness
within a comfortable range for you. In fact,
research has found that hearing aids may
help preserve the ability to understand
speech because they allow the sensory cells
in the inner ear to stay active.
There are two
ways of reducing background noise with
current technology. One way is through the
use of directional/dual microphone
technology. These instruments often allow
the patient to “turn off” the back
microphone when background noise is
interfering with speech. Many of the
products available also offer the ability
for the hearing aid to automatically select
the best program for each listening
environment. This way the patient doesn’t
have to do anything!
The second
way to improve communication in the presence
of background noise is through the use of
100% digital hearing aids. The FDA has
developed very stringent guidelines
regarding hearing instruments that are
advertised as reducing background noise. In
order for a hearing aid to be advertised as
reducing background noise it has to
have been clinically tested and receive FDA
approval. Please be aware that there are no
hearing instruments available that remove
all background noise. The newest hearing aid
technology contains 100% digital sound
processing which measures and reduces
"noise-like" sound with a series of
mathematical computations. If you tried
hearing aids and could not adapt due to the
overwhelming amplification of background
noise, you will find digital hearing aids
and directional/dual microphone technology a
major improvement.
The life span
of a hearing aid depends on many factors. In
general, hearing instruments have an average
life of four to six years. Care of the
hearing instrument is an important factor.
If hearing aids are protected from ear wax
and moisture damage, they may last longer
than the above estimates.
Hearing aids
are fragile instruments that need daily
maintenance. The majority of hearing aid
problems are caused by ear wax and moisture.
Hearing aids can be repaired either at your
audiologist’s office or by the manufacturer.
In order to insure proper operation of your
hearing instrument it may be necessary for
you to return to your audiologist several
times per year. These visits may include
cleaning and checking your hearing
instrument, as well as annual hearing tests
to insure the hearing aid is set
appropriately for you.
Manufacturers
offer warranties of generally one year to
three years on new instruments, and
typically six months to one year on repaired
hearing aids. Many offices offer extended
warranties on their new and/or repaired
instruments. Talk with your audiologist
about warranty options.
If you have a
hearing loss in both ears the answer is yes.
When sound enters both ears, it becomes
louder than if you only listened out of one
ear. The ability to locate where sounds are
coming from is improved when both ears have
amplification. It is also more natural to
amplify both ears. If you need corrective
lenses for your eyes, would you consider a
monocle? Probably not. Your brain adjusts
better when it receives information equally
from both sides, especially in background
noise.
Some
insurance plans do cover the cost of hearing
instruments, while others may cover only a
partial cost or reimburse the patient for a
set amount. You should always check with
your particular insurance plan to see if you
have coverage for hearing aids.
At present,
Medicare does not cover the cost of hearing
aids. They do however cover some of the
costs of examination. It is always best to
discuss payment options with your
audiologist before services are rendered.
Audiologists
can test children of any age, including
newborns. In fact, the Ohio Legislature just
passed a Universal Newborn/Infant Hearing
Screening Bill that will require all
hospitals in Ohio to provide hearing
screenings for all newborns. Newborns,
infants and toddlers can be tested using
non-invasive methods that either record the
brain’s response to sound [Auditory
Brainstem Response Audiometry (ABR)], or by
introducing sounds via a probe in the ear
and measuring the ear’s response to those
sounds [Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs)]. When
a child is old enough to localize sounds,
he/she can undergo behavioral testing in a
sound booth using visual reinforcement
and/or play audiometry. Children three years
old and older can generally be tested much
like adults.
Please see
our
Resources
section for web sites that may
provide more specific information regarding
your hearing and or balance problem.
Easy, use the
Contact Us section and we will try to
help you.
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