Do I have a hearing loss?

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Hearing Exams for Adults and Children

When you need a hearing exam, shouldn’t you see a hearing doctor first? (Click here to read the Consumer Report) Our Board Certified Ear, Nose and Throat Physicians and Doctors of Audiology conduct state-of-the-art hearing tests. We know that not everyone experiences hearing loss in the same way. Each person has different lifestyle and social needs. We love working with patients of all ages and offer unique solutions for kids. We also realize that the hearing test your neighbor had may not be right for you.

Otoscopy: Lets us examine inside the ear and learn what’s happening in the ear canal, including the eardrum and the middle ear.

Audiometer: Produces tones and speech sounds to test your hearing ability for sounds important for speech understanding.

Middle-ear function testing: Measures response to air pressure variations and sound signals to see if the middle ear is functioning normally.

Otoacoustic emissions: Soft sounds produced by the ear we measure to determine how the hearing nerve is functioning.

Visible speech mapping: Utilizes sound inputs such as the live voice of a spouse or recorded restaurant noise to demonstrate the effectiveness of hearing aids to current users, or simulate the potential benefit of hearing aids to new user, in different situations.

Children’s evaluations: To determine whether troubles are hearing- or speech-related and offer solutions that help children develop healthy hearing.

Digital Hearing Aids from Leading Brands

When you need a hearing aid, shouldn’t you see a hearing doctor first? (Click here to read the Consumer Report) Our Board Certified Ear, Nose and Throat Physicians and Doctors of Audiology conduct state-of-the-art hearing tests. To determine whether a hearing aid is right for you, we test your hearing thoroughly. But first, we’ll spend time getting to know you. We’ll ask when your hearing problem started, which situations make hearing most difficult for you and more. We’ll answer all your questions and make sure you’re comfortable with every step. Once we determine the exact nature of your hearing loss we will evaluate if a hearing instrument is appropriate for you. In some cases, minor surgery, earwax removal or some other treatment can solve the problem. If not, we’ll recommend a hearing device that fits your budget, needs and lifestyle. No matter what your hearing problem – a poor-fitting aid, a malfunctioning aid, wax in the ear or the need for a completely new hearing aid, we will work with you for as long as it takes to find the solution that works best for you.

Ear, Nose and Throat Associates provides many digital hearing device options from the following manufacturers…

 

Ear, Nose and Throat Associates offers a battery club to help reduce the cost of batteries for your digital hearing devices.

Battery Club: Pass us on…invite a friend, neighbor or family member to join.

Free Membership!

$40 per carton - Standard carton is 60 batteries

Ask your Audiologist for more information!

Audiologic Rehabilitation Classes

ENT Associates offers classes for our patients with hearing aids. The class is a two part class to help patients that have just started wearing hearing aids have the best possible experience. We offer these classes in two locations, Countryside and Largo.

In Office Hearing Aid Repairs and Cleaning

Our Drs. of Audiology and Audiology Assistants will assist you with in office hearing aid minor repairs and cleaning. Just call or stop on by to inquire.

Custom Swim Molds, Hearing Protection and iPod Earbuds

(Click here to learn more)

Earwax Removal

At Ear, Nose and Throat Associates, part of your hearing exam is to make sure that your ears are clear of earwax. Our physicians will clean your ears prior to your hearing exam in order to receive the most accurate results

Tinnitus Management

Tinnitus: refers to the sensation of sound, most often a high-pitched, noisy whistle, in one or both ears in the absence of external stimulation. Like pain, tinnitus is a very subjective phenomenon, and descriptions by sufferers tend to be in terms of familiar sound such as the roar of the ocean or the ringing of bells. Nearly everyone experiences a mild and transient form of tinnitus. Estimates of the incidence of more severe forms vary, but around 10-14% of adults complain of tinnitus that is either prolonged or present for much of the time, and 0.5% are so affected as to have difficulty in leading a normal life.

What is the Treatment?

In most cases, there is no specific treatment for ear and head noise. If your otolaryngologist finds a specific cause of your tinnitus, he may be able to eliminate the noise. But, this determination may require extensive testing including X-rays, balance tests and laboratory work.

However, most causes cannot be identified. Occasionally, medicine may help the noise. The medications used are varied, and several may be tried to see if they help.

If you have a hearing loss, a hearing aid(s) may reduce head noise while you are wearing it and sometimes cause it to go away temporarily. It is important not to set the hearing aid at excessively loud levels, as this can worsen the tinnitus in some cases. However, a thorough trial before purchase of a hearing aid is advisable if your primary purpose if the relief of tinnitus.

The following list of do’s and don’ts can help lessen the severity of tinnitus.

1. Avoid exposure to loud sounds and noises.
2. Get your blood pressure checked. If it is high, get your doctor’s help to control it.
3. Decrease your intake of salt. Salt impairs blood circulation.
4. Avoid stimulants such as coffee, tea, cola and tobacco.
5. Exercise daily. It improves your circulation.
6. Get adequate rest. Avoid fatigue.
7. Stop worrying about the noise. Recognize your head noise as an annoyance and learn to ignore it as much as possible.
8. Be aware that stress may increase the noise level of your tinnitus.