COAST HEARING CENTER is an AudigyCertified™ practice that offers a broad range of audiologic services for individuals from age 6 to 100-plus years who have concerns about their hearing. Once the type and degree of loss is determined in Coast’s state-of-the art facility, our licensed Doctor of Audiology conducts a thorough consultation with the patient and family members. Only then can an appropriate line of treatment be performed, which may necessitate medical intervention or indicate amplification is needed.
Some or all of the above services may be covered by your medical insurance. Please check with your insurance provider so we can maximize your health plan’s benefits and minimize your out-of-pocket expenses.
Why have a diagnostic work-up performed?
The effects of hearing loss and Sound Voids™ can be minimized when:
Your problem is correctly diagnosed by a state-licensed audiologist,
You receive the proper treatment for your specific loss and lifestyle, and
You and your audiologist are committed to solving the problem.
What steps are involved in a diagnostic audiologic work-up?
Step One: The Interview
Your audiologist will determine the extent of your hearing problem and uncover any specific areas requiring further attention.
Some typical questions:
Have other members of your family had hearing loss or difficulty?
Have you had an illness or injury that might have affected your hearing?
Have you taken medications that might have affected your hearing?
Have you been exposed to loud noises during work or leisure activities?
Step Two: Examination of the Outer Ear
Using a special instrument called an otoscope, your AudigyCertified™ audiologist will determine whether the Sound Voids™ you’re experiencing are caused by an obstruction or damage to the eardrum or ear canal. (If an obstruction such as earwax is present it can often be removed during your initial visit.)
Step Three: Audiologic Testing
To help your audiologist determine the nature and degree of your Sound Voids™ or hearing loss, the following tests may be performed depending upon the assessment of your needs:
Audiometric Pure Tone Evaluation ? to measure your hearing at different frequencies.
Speech Discrimination Testing ? to measure how well you hear and understand speech at an audible level.
Immitance Middle Ear Evaluation ? to measure how well your eardrum moves when pressure is applied and to assess the integrity of the middle ear system.
If tests indicate you do suffer from hearing loss, your results will be documented on an audiogram and thoroughly explained to you
Steps Four and Five: Discussing Treatment Options and Medical Treatment
In certain cases, there may be surgery or medical treatments to improve or correct your hearing loss and you will be referred to a neurotologist or an ear nose and throat (ENT) physician. Your audiologist will work closely with your primary care physician and/or specialists to resolve these medical conditions.
Please know, we will never recommend hearing aids as a first course of treatment if a medical option is available to you. This ensures that you are informed of all available treatment options and that the benefits of each option are fully understood.
Hearing Systems
Hearing systems—commonly known as hearing aids—come in a variety of designs, colors and sizes, with a wide range of functions and features to address an individual’s specific needs. The most basic components include: one or two microphones, an amplifier, a receiver, and (in the case of digital hearing systems) a miniature computer chip that is programmed by your audiologist. The unprecedented effectiveness of modern digital systems result from a powerful combination of professional expertise, education and training, elaborate software, and extremely sophisticated hardware. Many of today’s hearing aid systems include accessories to increase the device’s usefulness and enhance the wearer’s lifestyle. Such accessories include: wireless devices for hands-free cell phone use, TV adaptors, landline adapters, and computer and iPod™ connectivity.
Surgery & Implants
A limited number of devices can be surgically inserted into the ear to improve hearing, facilitate lip-reading, and make it easier to distinguish certain sounds. Typically, such devices are most beneficial to severe to profound hearing-impaired or deaf individuals who are unable to benefit from traditional hearing aids. When surgery or implants are appropriate for a patient’s hearing loss, we will discuss them with you and refer you to qualified physicians in our area who perform these specialized medical treatments.
Examples of surgical implants include: cochlear implants, middle-ear implants, bone-anchored hearing systems, and auditory brainstem implants.
Assistive Listening Devices
As you might imagine, many people do not need hearing aids. They just need solutions for specific listening problems. For those patients we offer amplified telephones, wireless TV listening systems, and a variety of personal communication enhancement tools. Sometimes, even with hearing aids, patients may receive additional benefit from using assistive devices—in addition to or in place of their hearing aids.
Dizziness & Balance Testing
It is extremely important that an accurate diagnosis be made before imbalance treatment begins so the rehabilitation process is as complete, efficient and effective as possible.
Here are some of the diagnostic tools used to pinpoint the causes of balance problems:
A complete audiologic evaluation of balance − which includes testing of:
Hearing
Impedance/middle ear function
Videonystagmography (VNG)
VNG testing is used to assess the inner ear and central functions of the motor system. It is the only test that can differentiate between a unilateral (one ear) or bilateral (both ears) inner ear deficit. VNG testing consists of a battery of tests which records the patient’s ability to follow visual stimulation and corresponding eye movements following information from the vestibular system.
The VNG is composed of three primary components: First, the occulomotor examination, which allows the audiologist to observe the patient’s eye movements as they follow a moving target. The second battery of tests involves positional testing—to determine if any one position invokes dizziness for the patient. Third, the caloric test, independently evaluates the horizontal semicircular canals and superior portion of the vestibular nerve in each ear.
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COAST HEARING CENTER is an AudigyCertified™ practice that offers a broad range of audiologic services for individuals from age 6 to 100-plus years who have concerns about their hearing. Once the type and degree of loss is determined in Coast’s state-of-the art facility, our licensed Doctor of Audiology conducts a thorough consultation with the patient and family members. Only then can an appropriate line of treatment be performed, which may necessitate medical intervention or indicate amplification is needed.
Some or all of the above services may be covered by your medical insurance. Please check with your insurance provider so we can maximize your health plan’s benefits and minimize your out-of-pocket expenses.
Why have a diagnostic work-up performed?
The effects of hearing loss and Sound Voids™ can be minimized when:
What steps are involved in a diagnostic audiologic work-up?
Step One: The Interview
Your audiologist will determine the extent of your hearing problem and uncover any specific areas requiring further attention.
Some typical questions:
Step Two: Examination of the Outer Ear
Using a special instrument called an otoscope, your AudigyCertified™ audiologist will determine whether the Sound Voids™ you’re experiencing are caused by an obstruction or damage to the eardrum or ear canal. (If an obstruction such as earwax is present it can often be removed during your initial visit.)
Step Three: Audiologic Testing
To help your audiologist determine the nature and degree of your Sound Voids™ or hearing loss, the following tests may be performed depending upon the assessment of your needs:
If tests indicate you do suffer from hearing loss, your results will be documented on an audiogram and thoroughly explained to you
Steps Four and Five: Discussing Treatment Options and Medical Treatment
In certain cases, there may be surgery or medical treatments to improve or correct your hearing loss and you will be referred to a neurotologist or an ear nose and throat (ENT) physician. Your audiologist will work closely with your primary care physician and/or specialists to resolve these medical conditions.
Please know, we will never recommend hearing aids as a first course of treatment if a medical option is available to you. This ensures that you are informed of all available treatment options and that the benefits of each option are fully understood.
Hearing Systems
Hearing systems—commonly known as hearing aids—come in a variety of designs, colors and sizes, with a wide range of functions and features to address an individual’s specific needs. The most basic components include: one or two microphones, an amplifier, a receiver, and (in the case of digital hearing systems) a miniature computer chip that is programmed by your audiologist. The unprecedented effectiveness of modern digital systems result from a powerful combination of professional expertise, education and training, elaborate software, and extremely sophisticated hardware. Many of today’s hearing aid systems include accessories to increase the device’s usefulness and enhance the wearer’s lifestyle. Such accessories include: wireless devices for hands-free cell phone use, TV adaptors, landline adapters, and computer and iPod™ connectivity.
Surgery & Implants
A limited number of devices can be surgically inserted into the ear to improve hearing, facilitate lip-reading, and make it easier to distinguish certain sounds. Typically, such devices are most beneficial to severe to profound hearing-impaired or deaf individuals who are unable to benefit from traditional hearing aids. When surgery or implants are appropriate for a patient’s hearing loss, we will discuss them with you and refer you to qualified physicians in our area who perform these specialized medical treatments.
Examples of surgical implants include: cochlear implants, middle-ear implants, bone-anchored hearing systems, and auditory brainstem implants.
Assistive Listening Devices
As you might imagine, many people do not need hearing aids. They just need solutions for specific listening problems. For those patients we offer amplified telephones, wireless TV listening systems, and a variety of personal communication enhancement tools. Sometimes, even with hearing aids, patients may receive additional benefit from using assistive devices—in addition to or in place of their hearing aids.
Dizziness & Balance Testing
It is extremely important that an accurate diagnosis be made before imbalance treatment begins so the rehabilitation process is as complete, efficient and effective as possible.
Here are some of the diagnostic tools used to pinpoint the causes of balance problems:
A complete audiologic evaluation of balance − which includes testing of:
VNG testing is used to assess the inner ear and central functions of the motor system. It is the only test that can differentiate between a unilateral (one ear) or bilateral (both ears) inner ear deficit. VNG testing consists of a battery of tests which records the patient’s ability to follow visual stimulation and corresponding eye movements following information from the vestibular system.
The VNG is composed of three primary components: First, the occulomotor examination, which allows the audiologist to observe the patient’s eye movements as they follow a moving target. The second battery of tests involves positional testing—to determine if any one position invokes dizziness for the patient. Third, the caloric test, independently evaluates the horizontal semicircular canals and superior portion of the vestibular nerve in each ear.