Professional Hearing Evaluation - Audiphone Company of Akron

Your first visit with an Audiologist at Audiphone Company of Akron

You have probably wondered already what will happen during an expert hearing evaluation. To prepare you for your first visit and address any worries you might have, we would like to provide you with some important information to help you in this process. Our Office provides a variety of hearing healthcare services in the Akron, Ohio area including an expert hearing evaluation, hearing instrument selection, fitting and important after care service.

You should schedule about an hour for your first visit. If you like, you may ask a relative or friend to accompany you. Many people feel more secure that way. A friendly face by your side is particularly helpful if there are communication issues.

The steps involved in a Hearing Evaluation and Hearing Aid Selection

Step 1: Hearing Exam

The first step our Certified Audiologist will do is examine your ears to screen for ear problems such as excessive wax, ear infections, discharge, lumps or objects in the ear. An ear examination can detect problems in the ear canal, eardrum, and the middle ear, such as infection, excessive earwax, or an object like a bean or a bead.

During the ear examination, an instrument called an otoscope is used to look at the outer ear canal and eardrum. An otoscope is a handheld instrument with a light, a magnifying lens, and a funnel-shaped viewing piece with a narrow, pointed end called a speculum. A pneumatic otoscope has a rubber bulb that your health professional can squeeze to give a puff of air into the ear canal. This allows your health professional to see how the eardrum responds.

In order to find out more about your hearing habits, our Audiologist will ask you a number of questions. You will be asked about situations in which you have noticed the hearing loss. In addition, you will determine together, whether you would like to use a hearing aid in the future and in which situations a hearing aid could help you.

Step 2: Hearing Test ( Audiogram )

The next step is a hearing test. Our Audiologist will test your hearing to determine the degree and magnitude of hearing loss and determine the need for hearing aids. The hearing test is performed to identify the type and severity of the hearing loss in each ear. It is performed using a machine called an audiometer which is designed to compare the hearing level of an individual test subject with average normal hearing.

An audiogram is the product of a hearing test. More precisely, it's a graphical representation on paper, showing the specific pitches (frequencies) and loudness (intensity) levels that a person can hear with each ear. Our Audiologist will review the Audiogram with you and will be able to tell you more about your hearing and your hearing loss.

Step 3: Discussion of Solutions

After determining the exact nature of your hearing loss our Audiologist will present the various solutions that are available to you from our selection of hearing aids or other assistive listening devices and discuss them with you in detail.

Together, you will talk about your lifestyle, and the way the hearing aids perform, in order to make the appropriate selection. The instruments should meet your personal preferences in terms of cosmetic appeal and convenience. Your future requirements will also need to be considered.

Step 4: Hearing Aid Fitting

Once you and the Audiologist have selected the hearing aid best suited to your hearing loss and lifestyle, a few additional steps are needed.

We will take an exact impression of your ear to provide a custom fitted In-the-Ear instrument, or an earmold for a Behind-the-Ear instrument. A soft, putty-like material will be inserted into your ear canal and will fill up the outer portion of your ear.

This is not painful, although you may experience a temporary fullness in your ear during this 7-10 minute procedure. The material firms up after a few minutes and is then gently removed. The impression is then sent to the hearing aid manufacturer or earmold lab to create a custom fit for your ears.

Step 5: Adjusting the Hearing Aid

After we order your hearing aids, you will return to be fit with the hearing aids. During this appointment, the hearing aids will be programmed for your hearing loss. Our Audiologist will also perform Real-Ear Measures to verify the performance of the hearing aids by placing a probe tube in your ear canal which measures exactly how the hearing aids are working in your ears. Our Audiologist will teach you how to use your new hearing aids and discuss appropriate expectations and adjustment to the hearing aids. You will go home wearing your new hearing aids.

All hearing aids come with a 30 day trial period. You have 30 days from the day you receive your hearing aids to decide whether or not you wish to keep them. The full cost of the hearing aids is paid when you take them home. Should you decide to return your hearing aids, you will be reimbursed for the cost of the hearing aid less a reasonable fee per hearing aid to cover service/rental fees.

Follow-Up Hearing Aid Assessment

We recommend that you return approximately 2 weeks after the initial fitting. At this time you will discuss your progress and adjustment to the hearing aids. Programming adjustments can be made to the hearing aids if necessary.

Our Audiologist will then recommend that you return every 6 months to check your ears for excessive ear wax, clean and check the hearing aids and make any further adjustments.

Maintenance

As with all electronics, hearing aids require care and maintenance. This includes handling them carefully, not exposing the hearing aids to water and chemicals, and keeping them very clean. Our Audiologist will discuss and demonstrate proper daily care as well as maintenance techniques and maintenance products. The hearing aid user’s manual will review many of these same points. Given the hostile conditions (temperature extremes, high levels of humidity, ear wax, etc.) under which hearing aids operate, daily cleaning and maintenance is recommended. Proper care and maintenance clearly reduces the need for repair.

Expectations and Outcomes

Even with the best technology, it is important to maintain realistic expectations. While hearing aids make sounds easier to hear, they will not restore normal hearing. Hearing aids re-introduce you to a world of sound, and it takes time to become accustomed to the new sounds. Some people adjust quickly, others take longer. Our Audiologist will discuss auditory training programs, communication strategies, and hearing assistive technologies to alleviate difficulties in these situations.

Not sure about the state of your hearing? Take our brief hearing questionnaire to get an idea of whether you’re experiencing hearing loss that needs to be evaluated by a medical professional. The questions relate to everyday listening situations where many people with hearing losses experience difficulties hearing clearly. Click here to take our hearing questionnaire.

		Professional Hearing Evaluation
		Your first visit with an Audiologist at Audiphone Company of Akron You have probably wondered already what will happen during an expert hearing evaluation. To prepare you for your first visit and address any worries you might have, we would like to provide you with some important information to help you in this process. Our Office provides a variety of hearing healthcare services in the Akron, Ohio area including an expert hearing evaluation, hearing instrument selection, fitting and important after care service. You should schedule about an hour for your first visit. If you like, you may ask a relative or friend to accompany you. Many people feel more secure that way. A friendly face by your side is particularly helpful if there are communication issues. The steps involved in a Hearing Evaluation and Hearing Aid Selection Step 1: Hearing Exam The first step our Certified Audiologist will do is examine your ears to screen for ear problems such as excessive wax, ear infections, discharge, lumps or objects in the ear. An ear examination can detect problems in the ear canal, eardrum, and the middle ear, such as infection, excessive earwax, or an object like a bean or a bead. During the ear examination, an instrument called an otoscope is used to look at the outer ear canal and eardrum. An otoscope is a handheld instrument with a light, a magnifying lens, and a funnel-shaped viewing piece with a narrow, pointed end called a speculum. A pneumatic otoscope has a rubber bulb that your health professional can squeeze to give a puff of air into the ear canal. This allows your health professional to see how the eardrum responds. In order to find out more about your hearing habits, our Audiologist will ask you a number of questions. You will be asked about situations in which you have noticed the hearing loss. In addition, you will determine together, whether you would like to use a hearing aid in the future and in which situations a hearing aid could help you. Step 2: Hearing Test ( Audiogram ) The next step is a hearing test. Our Audiologist will test your hearing to determine the degree and magnitude of hearing loss and determine the need for hearing aids. The hearing test is performed to identify the type and severity of the hearing loss in each ear. It is performed using a machine called an audiometer which is designed to compare the hearing level of an individual test subject with average normal hearing. An audiogram is the product of a hearing test. More precisely, it's a graphical representation on paper, showing the specific pitches (frequencies) and loudness (intensity) levels that a person can hear with each ear. Our Audiologist will review the Audiogram with you and will be able to tell you more about your hearing and your hearing loss. Step 3: Discussion of Solutions After determining the exact nature of your hearing loss our Audiologist will present the various solutions that are available to you from our selection of hearing aids or other assistive listening devices and discuss them with you in detail. Together, you will talk about your lifestyle, and the way the hearing aids perform, in order to make the appropriate selection. The instruments should meet your personal preferences in terms of cosmetic appeal and convenience. Your future requirements will also need to be considered. Step 4: Hearing Aid Fitting Once you and the Audiologist have selected the hearing aid best suited to your hearing loss and lifestyle, a few additional steps are needed. We will take an exact impression of your ear to provide a custom fitted In-the-Ear instrument, or an earmold for a Behind-the-Ear instrument. A soft, putty-like material will be inserted into your ear canal and will fill up the outer portion of your ear. This is not painful, although you may experience a temporary fullness in your ear during this 7-10 minute procedure. The material firms up after a few minutes and is then gently removed. The impression is then sent to the hearing aid manufacturer or earmold lab to create a custom fit for your ears. Step 5: Adjusting the Hearing Aid After we order your hearing aids, you will return to be fit with the hearing aids. During this appointment, the hearing aids will be programmed for your hearing loss. Our Audiologist will also perform Real-Ear Measures to verify the performance of the hearing aids by placing a probe tube in your ear canal which measures exactly how the hearing aids are working in your ears. Our Audiologist will teach you how to use your new hearing aids and discuss appropriate expectations and adjustment to the hearing aids. You will go home wearing your new hearing aids. All hearing aids come with a 30 day trial period. You have 30 days from the day you receive your hearing aids to decide whether or not you wish to keep them. The full cost of the hearing aids is paid when you take them home. Should you decide to return your hearing aids, you will be reimbursed for the cost of the hearing aid less a reasonable fee per hearing aid to cover service/rental fees. Follow-Up Hearing Aid Assessment We recommend that you return approximately 2 weeks after the initial fitting. At this time you will discuss your progress and adjustment to the hearing aids. Programming adjustments can be made to the hearing aids if necessary. Our Audiologist will then recommend that you return every 6 months to check your ears for excessive ear wax, clean and check the hearing aids and make any further adjustments. Maintenance As with all electronics, hearing aids require care and maintenance. This includes handling them carefully, not exposing the hearing aids to water and chemicals, and keeping them very clean. Our Audiologist will discuss and demonstrate proper daily care as well as maintenance techniques and maintenance products. The hearing aid user’s manual will review many of these same points. Given the hostile conditions (temperature extremes, high levels of humidity, ear wax, etc.) under which hearing aids operate, daily cleaning and maintenance is recommended. Proper care and maintenance clearly reduces the need for repair. Expectations and Outcomes Even with the best technology, it is important to maintain realistic expectations. While hearing aids make sounds easier to hear, they will not restore normal hearing. Hearing aids re-introduce you to a world of sound, and it takes time to become accustomed to the new sounds. Some people adjust quickly, others take longer. Our Audiologist will discuss auditory training programs, communication strategies, and hearing assistive technologies to alleviate difficulties in these situations. Not sure about the state of your hearing? Take our brief hearing questionnaire to get an idea of whether you’re experiencing hearing loss that needs to be evaluated by a medical professional. The questions relate to everyday listening situations where many people with hearing losses experience difficulties hearing clearly. Click here to take our hearing questionnaire.