FAQ
How do we hear?
How do hearing aids work?
Why are digital hearing aids important?
Why two hearing aids? What is the best hearing aid brand?
How would I know if I needed hearing aids?
Hearing aid Sizes.
Hearing aid prices.
Consequence of untreated hearing loss.
Where do I go to have my hearing tested?
What is an audiologist?
What does it mean when an audiologist is Board Certified in Audiology?
What is a hearing aid specialist?
What can I expect during my hearing evaluation and hearing aid consultation?
How do we hear?
Hearing is the result of a process through which sound waves in the air are changed into electrical impulses that the Auditory Nerve carries to the brain, which then interprets these electrical impulses as sound. The following is a brief listing and explanation of the steps involved in this amazing process. 1) Sound waves enter the outer ear (the Pinna) and travel into our ear through the Ear Canal. The Ear Canal leads to the Eardrum and when the sound waves hit the Eardrum, they cause it to vibrate in and out. 2) When the Eardrum vibrates, this vibration is transmitted through the three tiny bones in the middle ear known collectively as the Ossicles. The Ossicles form a chain that connects the Eardrum to the fluid filled, inner ear organ of hearing called the Cochlea. 3) The vibrating Ossicles transmit their vibrations to the Cochlea. These vibrations cause tiny waves in the fluid that fills the Cochlea. These waves, moving back and forth, bend tiny hairs. 4) The bending of these hairs causes an electrical stimulus to be sent along the Auditory Nerve to the Brain. 5) The Brain translates these electrical signals into what we experience as sound. 5) The brain translates these electrical signals into what we experience as sound. 
How do hearing aids work?
Hearing aids are miniature electronic devices that are designed to change sound to improve an individual’s ability to communicate in different environments. They consist of a microphone that picks up sound, an amplifier that increases the volume of sound, and a speaker that sends the amplified sound into the ear. Digital hearing aids have computer chips in them that improve the sound quality and performance of the hearing aids.
Why are digital hearing aids important?
There are currently three hearing aid technologies: Analog, Analog Programmable, and Digital. Hearing Aid Technologies **Analog Analog hearing aids offer basic amplification of sound. **Analog Programmable. Analog Programmable hearing aids allow your hearing professional to make basic adjustments to the sound quality that the hearing aid produces. Digital Digital hearing aids have computer chips in them that enable the devices to significantly process the sound in your environment, creating a more comfortable, natural sound. For instance, instead of being able to adjust only Bass and Treble, Digital hearing aids allow your hearing professional to adjust some or all points in-between (depending how advanced the hearing aid is). By making soft sounds audible and loud sounds comfortable, they fit sounds occurring at a whole range of volumes into a range that is audible and comfortable for you. The more advanced models have the ability to improve your ability to hear and understand speech in the presence of background noise like what occurs in restaurants, meetings, and church cafeterias. Digital hearing aids effectively address many of the complaints that hearing aid users have had for decades. Put simply: Digital hearing aids sound better and perform better. **Analog and Analog Programmable hearing aids are being phased out by most hearing aid manufacturers because Digital hearing aids have much higher satisfaction rates. Noise Reduction Understanding speech in background noise like what we find in restaurants, meetings, and in the car has been a frustration for many hearing aid users. Digital hearing aids today are implementing two exciting technologies that greatly enhance individuals abilities to perform in these environments: Noise Reduction systems and Directional Microphones. Noise Reduction Systems: Noise reduction systems are filters designed to find sustained sounds in the environment and minimize them. They are very effective at minimizing certain types of sounds like road situations more comfortable. Directional Microphones Directional microphones significantly improve the function of hearing aids in noisy environments like restaurants, meetings, church, and in family or social gatherings. They do this by to selectively amplifying the voice of the person you are looking at instead of amplifying the commotion to your side or back. The microphones in a multiple microphone array directional system must be placed a minimum distance from each other on the hearing aid and are therefore not available on the smaller hearing aid sizes or styles.
Why two hearing aids?
There are several reasons why binaural (two eared) listening is superior to monaural (one eared) listening. Better Hearing in Noise. Two ears or hearing aids are required to have good understanding of speech in noisy settings like restaurants, meetings, places of worship, family gatherings and when traveling in the car. Better Understanding of Speech. are required if an individual wants to understand the speech of people who may speak to them from either the right or left side. Better Localizing of Sound. Two ears or hearing aids are required in order to have the ability to reliably determine the direction from which sounds originate. In addition to social importance, when we are driving our automobiles, localization of sound gives us critical information regarding the vehicles around us in traffic and allows us to know what direction emergency vehicles are traveling.
What is the best hearing aid brand?
Hearing loss is very individual, every case is unique. At Physicians Choice Hearing & Dizziness Center, we sell and service hearing aids from every top hearing aid manufacturer. This allows us to choose the hearing aid that will provide the best solution to each patient’s individual needs. A few of the manufacturers we work with include SIEMENS, PHONAK, WIDEX, SONIC INNOVATIONS, TELEX, OTICON, UNITRON, ARGOSY, AUD INA, INTERTON, MICROTECH, QUALITONE, MAGNATONE, and REXTON. We also have accounts with the parent companies or manufacturers of BELTONE, MIRACLE EAR, and AUDIBEL; GN RESOUND, SIEMENS, and STARKEY, respectively.
How would I know if I needed hearing aids?
Hearing loss often develops gradually over time and because of this it is typical for individuals with mild or moderate hearing loss to be unaware that they have a problem even though their family or friends may be very aware of it. Signs That You Might Need Hearing Aids: You ask others to repeat what they are saying. It often seems like your spouse or family member is mumbling or not speaking clearly. You have to have the T.V. turned up louder than other people. You experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears, crickets, or other head noise). You have difficulty understanding people when you ae in a restaurant or around groups of people. (If you have any of these symptoms, you should consider having an Audiologist conduct a hearing test).
Hearing aid Sizes.
Completely - In - The - Canal (CIC) Advantages:
Disadvantages:
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In - The - Canal (ITC) Advantages:
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In - The - Ear (ITE) or Full - Shell Advantages:
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Behind - The - Ear (BTE) Advantages:
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Hearing aid prices.
The price of hearing aids today has less to do with the size or style of the device and more to do with the level of technology that is in the device. High quality hearing aids range in price from $995 to $3200 a piece. THe ranges within each technology level in the chrt below reflect the prices of hearing aid models offered by various manufacturers that offer a model at that technology level. Guarenteed Lowest Price: Because we enjoy volume discounting on the hearing aids we buy and because we do not employ commissioned salespeople…. only Audiologists, you will benefit from very low prices on hearing aids from all major manufactureres. In addition, if you are able to show us a lower advertised price on any hearing aid we sell, we will beat that price.
Consequence of untreated hearing loss.
Research indicates that hearing loss is not only a quality-of-life issue, it is associated with physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being. Consequences of untreated hearing loss include depression, anxiety, withdrawing from groups or activities, isolation, lessened health status, lower self esteem, and impaired memory. For more information on this, you can consult a 1998 report by the National Council on Aging entitled: "The impact of Untreated Loss in Older Americans."
Where do I go to have my hearing tested?
Hearing evaluations are commonly performed by Audiologists and Hearing Aid Specialist. In addition, many Otolaryngologist (ENT) offices employ a staff Audiologist to perform hearing evaluations.
What is an audiologist?
Audiologists are allied health professionals who have special training in the prevention, diagnosis, and non-medical treatment of hearing disorders and may be found in medical centers, hospitals, clinics, private practice and schools. In addition, they have specialized training to identify abnormalities that require medical attention. Qualifications include: a master’s or doctoral degree from an accredited university, state licensure, completion of a full-time internship and passing a demanding competency examination. These professionals belong to several national organizations guided by a Code of Ethics requiring that audiologic services must be provided in an ethical manner. By virtue of their graduate education, professional certification, and licensure, audiologists are the most qualified professionals to select and verify the performance of hearing aids. Dr. Jeff Clark, Au.D. and Dr. Scot following credentials: Doctor of Audiology, Board Certified in Audiology by the American Board of Audiology, and they all have both received the prestigious Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech- Language Hearing Association. In addition, they are Fellows of the American Academy of Audiology and the Florida Academy of Audiology. Dr. Sims is also a Fellow of the Florida Speech-Language Hearing Association.
What does it mean when an audiologist is Board Certified in Audiology?
An Audiologist who is Board Certified in Audiology by the American Board of Audiology is an allied health professional whose knowledge base and clinical skills are consistent with professionally established standards and who continues to enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities through advanced training and other educational activities. In short, they have demonstrated their commitment to achieving and maintaining the highest professional standards.
What is a hearing aid specialist?
Hearing Aid Specialists can sell hearing aids. They are required to be 18 years or older and provide evidence of a equivalency. An application must be completed along with r emitting the required high school diploma or its fees. In the state of Florida, two photographs must be also be submitted along with three letters of good moral character. A brief training course must also be taken and they must pass a licensure exam. In order to register in the training program, a home study course must be completed.
What can I expect during my hearing evaluation and hearing aid consultation?
1. History. Our Audiologists begin by listening to you. We want to know what caused your hearing loss, how you feel it is affecting you, and what your individual listening needs are. We will ask you a series of questions that will aid us in putting together a diagnostic picture of what is going on with your auditory system. We follow this up with carefully examining each of your ear canals and eardrums with an otoscope. We will be looking for excess ear wax and abnormalities that may require medical intervention as well as establishing a good understanding of each ear canal that will be important should hearing aids be recommended for you. If you are found to have excessive ear wax, we will typically remove it immediately. In fact, it is not unusual for excessive ear wax to cause hearing loss.
2. Evaluation. Our Audiologists will perform a comprehensive series of tests in a Sound Booth that will determine your degree of hearing loss as well as yielding important information regarding the type of hearing loss. We will want to know what caused your hearing loss, what can be expected in the future, and whether there are medical options for the treatment for your hearing loss or if medical intervention is required for your hearing loss.
3. Discussion. In a relaxed setting we will share our findings with you and provide answers for any questions you may have. If hearing aids are recommended, we will provide you with information regarding the sizes of hearing aids, the types of technologies, and the prices of hearing aids. We want you to be involved in the hearing aid selection process and we will provide you with knowledge that will enable you to ma ke educated decisions regarding the type and size of hearing aids as well as the price range that you are most comfortable with. We are a referral driven organization that is not commission oriented and as such we strive to make the hearing aid process relaxed and simple. At a time when you feel you want to proceed with hearing aids, we may take impressions of your ears to cast molds for the manufacture of hearing aids custom made for your ears. It is important to note that we are very concerned about you having a positive experience with your hearing aids and they will be fit on a trial basis with your satisfaction required for you to be able to keep the devices.
