Audiology and Hearing Testing Fall River, MA and Swansea, MA

Audiology and Hearing Testing

Q. What is an audiologist?
A. An audiologist is a professional who has received special training in the evaluation of hearing, on the effects of hearing on communication, and in the rehabilitation of hearing loss, typically with hearing amplification instruments.

Q. What training is required to be an audiologist?
A. Audiologist have a Masters degree or Doctoral Degree. They have an additional year of supervised practice in order to receive a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A). Audiologists may also have clinical doctorates (AuD) which makes them Doctors of Audiology.”

Q. Who can be tested?
A. People of any age can have their hearing evaluated. You are never too old or too young to be tested. Infants as young as a few hours old can be evaluated using special tests and equipment.

Q. How will the audiologist test my hearing ?
A. You will be seated in a room that is specially treated to reduce outside noises. You will be asked to listen to a series of tones through the earphones and respond by raising your hand every time you hear a sound, no matter how soft. You will also be asked to repeat two syllable words that become softer as you listen. Single syllable words will be presented at a comfortable level to test your understanding. You may also hear single syllable words at a very loud level. The audiologist will also ask you to listen for more tones presented through a vibrator placed on the bone behind your ear.

Q. What other tests are used?
A. A tympanogram may be used to test the mobility of your eardrum and ear bones (ossicles). You may hear some loud sounds that will test your auditory reflex. Other special tests may be required to further determine the cause of your hearing loss or other ear related symptoms.

Q. What can I expect at your office?
A.

	When you arrive at Duncan Hearing Healthcare, you will be asked to sit, relax, have a cup of coffee and cookies! At Duncan Hearing Healthcare we want you to feel comfortable to ask any questions you may have at any time. Also, we recommend that you have someone accompany you on your visit, so that you have a loved one to assist you with this important decision. We do require that you bring your insurance cards so that we can make copies for your chart. Next, we will have you complete paperwork with questions regarding your hearing difficulties, identifying information and we will have you sign the HIPAA form for your privacy protection.

	The audiologist will then escort you into the exam room to begin the examination phase of your visit. We will review the questions you answered and may ask more questions to obtain the most valuable information we can to assist in your hearing evaluation.

	We will then look into your ears to be certain there is nothing wrong with the outer ear and ear canals and to be sure there is no ear wax blocking your ears. The audiologist will then explain what the audiogram is (the graph we plot your test results on) and she will have you step up into the test booth so testing can begin. We will conduct testing using tones and speech and these results will appear on the flat screen TV for easy viewing when we are completed. Your results will then be explained to you and whoever accompanies you.

	If you are identified with a hearing loss that can be helped with hearing aids, we will program hearing aids for you to listen to during the explanation phase and we will have you try these hearing aids in different simulated environments within our Life’s Soundsuite which is our surround sound listening experience. This will give you some idea as to what can be expected from hearing aid use. Also, we will be able to show your loved one what the world sounds like to you so they may have a better understanding as to why you may be having difficulty hearing conversation. If you have a hearing loss that we feel may be medically treatable we will recommend that you consult with either your primary care physician or an Otolaryngologist to undergo further examination.

Once this is completed, we will discuss specific options available to you. We will describe different sizes and types of hearing and why a certain type and size is recommended to you. Once a recommendation is made impressions will be taken and hearing aids will be ordered. Generally new hearing aids arrive within two weeks and the thirty day trial period will begin once the hearing aids are fit. We normally see patients weekly during the 30 day trial period so fine tuning adjustments can be made. After the trial period is completed we see patients every three months to provide them with their supply of batteries and to give their hearing aid a tune-up to be certain they are working as well as they should. These visits are provided to our patients at no additional charge as part of our Complete Hearing Healthcare Package.

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Duncan Hearing Healthcare

1822 North Main Street - Suite 201
Sagamore Complex
Fall River, MA 02720
Phone: (508) 674-3334

hearing aids, hearing tests, hearing problems, assistive listening devices, hearing aid batteries, custom musicians ear molds, musicians earplugs, ear plugs, hearing protection, personal in-ear monitor systems, personal earphones, ear monitors, hearing test, hearing loss and tinnitus treatment appointments.