Audiology Services
Huron Valley Hearing Services
Audiologic Evaluations
Huron Valley Hearing offers diagnostic hearing evaluations for individuals of all ages, including children. These comprehensive evaluations are performed in a sound-treated booth to ensure the accuracy of results. The audiologist uses a variety of tools, including pure-tone testing, speech audiometry, and impedance testing to determine the type, nature, and severity of any hearing loss present. The hearing evaluation consists of several components.
Some of our Audiology Services is the different type of testing that we can provide, to determine the best outcome for you.
Hearing Protection
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the name for sounds heard in the ears or head that do not originate from outside sources.
Balance Testing
Contact us today for your own or your loved one’s personalized hearing evaluation or hearing questions.
Educational Seminars
We are happy to provide educational seminars on the topic of hearing loss and hearing health for clubs, organizations, healthcare offices, work groups, or other associations. The audiology staff at Huron Valley Hearing will tailor the discussion to the needs of the group, whether the goal be to help prevent hearing loss accidents in the workplace or simply to raise awareness about hearing loss, its causes, and what can be done to treat it.
Common topics requested during these seminars include:
- Causes of various forms of hearing loss
- Advancements in hearing aid technology and other treatment options for hearing loss
- Hearing loss prevention options during work and hobbies
Huron Valley Hearing Services
Huron Valley Hearing offers an array of audiologic services. The audiology staff at Huron Valley Hearing is able to offer the following services: audiologic evaluations, audiologic testing, balance testing, tinnitus treatment options and hearing preservation.
Audiologic Evaluations
Huron Valley Hearing offers diagnostic hearing evaluations for individuals of all ages, including children. These comprehensive evaluations are performed in a sound-treated booth to ensure the accuracy of results. The audiologist uses a variety of tools, including pure-tone testing, speech audiometry, and impedance testing to determine the type, nature, and severity of any hearing loss present. The hearing evaluation consists of several components.
Some of our Audiology Services is the different type of testing that we can provide, to determine the best outcome for you.
Case HistoryAt the start of the evaluation, the audiologist will ask you about your health history. We’ll discuss family history, history of noise exposure, and your primary areas of concern. This discussion ensures that your needs are being met. It also allows us to identify any possible causes of hearing loss or tinnitus and the best treatment options.
Impedance TestingDuring this step, we will use tympanometry and acoustic reflex testing to assess your middle ear function. It does not hurt. We’ll insert a small probe into the outer portion of your ear canal to observe the movement of your eardrum and to look for possible fluid or pressure buildup behind your eardrum. This test allows us to identify any middle ear disorders that may affect your hearing and, in many cases, treat them with medical or surgical intervention.
OtoscopyBy using an otoscope to examine your ear canal, we can assess possible outer or middle ear issues such as impacted ear wax or ear infection. If a problem is identified during this step that may impact the remainder of testing, we will address it before continuing (e.g., removal of wax or treatment of ear infection).
Pure-Tone TestingYou may remember the “beep test” from school or occupational hearing screenings. After seating you in a sound-treated booth, we’ll ask you to respond to tones played through earphones. The tones will vary in loudness and pitch so that we can identify the softest sound you can hear at each frequency range and in each ear. We can use both air conduction and bone conduction in order to determine the type and cause of any hearing loss.
Speech TestingIn this step, we’ll ask you to repeat back words both in a quiet setting and with noise presented to the opposite ear. This test helps us determine your ability to process complex auditory signals, and it can be useful in determining the cause of your hearing loss and any potential benefit you could get from hearing aids.
Hearing Protection
Noise exposure is the most preventable cause of hearing loss. There are a variety of products available to protect your hearing in specific situations, such as:
Custom-fit earplugsThese are designed to reduce sound in any situation and can be used to prevent noise damage from things like occupational noise, concerts, or home improvement projects (e.g., lawn mower, power tools).
Sleep PlugsFinally, a solution for sharing a bed with a snorer! These earplugs are also custom-fit, but they sit further inside the ear canal so that they’re comfortable for all night wear, even if you sleep on your side.
Musicians’ earplugsThese earplugs are fit with filters that help to reduce sound evenly across the pitch range, preserving the fidelity of the music.
Hunters’ earplugsHunters have very specific needs when it comes to hearing protection; you need to hear very soft sounds to track an animal but still protect your hearing from the loud blast of a gunshot, which can cause permanent hearing loss. Fortunately, hunters’ earplugs have been designed for this purpose exactly. They reduce loud impact noises (like a gunshot) while leaving other sounds unaltered. Some can even amplify those soft environmental sounds while protecting the ears from the sudden blast of a gunshot.
TinnitusTinnitus is the name for sounds heard in the ears or head that do not originate from outside sources.
People often describe the sounds as ringing, buzzing, crickets, or even music. Tinnitus may be caused by a variety of things, but it’s most commonly a result of hearing loss. If you experience tinnitus, particularly if it’s loud or seems to occur in only one ear, it’s important to have it evaluated. There are many ways to reduce or relieve tinnitus, including auditory stimulation methods, masking, and the use of hearing aids.
Balance Testing
About 15% of the population experiences dizziness. Of these cases, the majority are caused by otologic disorders. To determine the cause of dizziness and the best treatment option for each specific patient, different evaluations are available that include:
Electronystagmography (ENG)Electronystagmography (ENG): This test is used to evaluate the inner ear’s balance system, known as the vestibular system. Its components help to identify deficits in various portions of this system like the sensory cells, the vestibular nerve, and the semicircular canals of the vestibular organ.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): The hearing and balance nerve can be evaluated by using electrodes on the head to record the brain’s responses to loud auditory stimuli. This test is often recommended in cases of vertigo and may also be used to rule out acoustic nerve involvement in cases of asymmetric hearing loss or tinnitus.
Electrocochleography (ECochG)Electrocochleography (ECochG): The ECochg is used to evaluate the inner ear’s hearing system for signs of a very specific condition in which excessive fluid builds up. This condition, called Endolymphatic Hydrops or Ménière’s Disease, may cause severe episodes of vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, a plugged sensation in the ears, and/or a buzzing tinnitus.
Repositioning ManeuversRepositioning Maneuvers: In certain cases of dizziness, particularly in the case of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), repositioning maneuvers may alleviate symptoms. The patient’s head and body is moved into different positions to realign portions of the vestibular system. This procedure can be performed in office, allowing the patient to return to their normal activities vertigo-free.
Contact us today for your own or your loved one’s personalized hearing evaluation or hearing questions.
(248) 889-7600 (Highland Office)
(517) 548-5900 (Howell Office)
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Educational Seminars
Contact Doctor Wendzel to give an educational seminar on topics that will help you and your group to learn about hearing loss. This is one of Huron Valley Hearing Audiology Services that we love to offer.
We are happy to provide educational seminars on the topic of hearing loss and hearing health for clubs, organizations, healthcare offices, work groups, or other associations. The audiology staff at Huron Valley Hearing will tailor the discussion to the needs of the group, whether the goal be to help prevent hearing loss accidents in the workplace or simply to raise awareness about hearing loss, its causes, and what can be done to treat it.
Common topics requested during these seminars include:
Causes of various forms of hearing loss
Advancements in hearing aid technology and other treatment options for hearing loss
Hearing loss prevention options during work and hobbies