Swedish audiology services include:

• Comprehensive hearing evaluations, including hearing tests
• Amplification/hearing-aid assessment and fitting
• Evaluations of auditory brainstem response
• Cochlear implants
• Custom earplugs and hearing protection
• Counseling and education
• Osseointegrated device fittings

During your hearing evaluation, the audiologist will review your health history including your family history, hearing and ear-related concerns and noise-related history. We’ll also conduct a comprehensive audiologic evaluation, including:

• Pure-tone air and bone conduction testing to determine severity and type of hearing loss
• Speech processing evaluation of your ability to understand speech signals
• Immittance measures – tympanometry and acoustic reflexes to determine the function of your eardrum and middle ear space
• Specialized testing such as auditory brainstem response and otoacoustic emissions
• Counseling, communication strategies, referrals and recommendations

Possible outcomes may include additional evaluation, or a follow-up appointment with your primary care physician, pediatrician, an otolaryngologist, and/or other professionals.

Swedish Otolaryngology Specialists recommend the following tips for hearing loss prevention:

• Turn down the volume – Keep TVs, stereos and headphones at a reasonable listening volume. If the person next to you can hear the music from your headphones, you may be putting your ears at risk for hearing loss. We can offer recommendations for custom hearing protection for music or general noise reduction which can be created to fit your ears. Custom products can also be created for coupling to portable MP3 devices and some telephone headsets.
• Give your ears a break if you work in a noisy setting – Take time during each day to seek out a quiet environment. It’s not just the volume of the sound that can cause hearing loss. It’s also the duration of the noise exposure that can be harmful.
• Protect yourself – Wear earplugs or earmuffs when participating in loud activities, such as going to concerts, using power tools or even mowing the lawn.
• Don’t clean your ears with Q-tips, or other similar objects – Sticking small objects into your ear canal can cause wax to build up and block sound. Your primary care physician can determine if you have a cerumen (ear wax) problem during your annual visit.
• Get your hearing checked –Swedish audiology specialists can evaluate your hearing and help you with necessary steps to protect or enhance your hearing. If you have hearing loss, we can discuss appropriate technology options and styles to help you hear better. Amplification today is not the same as your grandmother’s hearing aids!