Audiology

The audiology clinics in both Hillcrest and La Jolla provide diagnostic hearing evaluations to inpatients and outpatients. The latest in digital programmable hearing aids are available for hearing impaired patients to purchase. Each patient, caregiver and/or family member receives individual instruction and counseling related to hearing loss and hearing aids.

• Read more about hearing loss at UC San Diego ENT/Otolaryngology.

Hearing Testing

• Audiometry
• Immittance tests:
  • Tympanometry
  • Acoustic Reflex Assessments
• Speech perception testing
• Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)
• Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)
• Auditory Brainstem Response Electrocochleography (ECoG)

Hearing Aids and Assistive Devices

• Programmable digital hearing aids
• Hearing aid accessories and maintenance (batteries, repair and cleaning services)
• Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) -- available for trial use or purchase
• CROS/BiCROS hearing aids – for deafness in one ear, or asymmetric hearing loss
• Osseointegrated Bone Conduction Devices (Baha) – for deafness in one ear, or from hearing loss caused by issues in the outer or middle ear
  • Baha is an implanted hearing device that sends sound signals to the inner ear through vibration. If you have deafness in one ear, Baha will pick up sound from the poorer ear and send it to the normal-hearing ear. If you have hearing loss caused by problems in the outer or middle ear (conductive hearing loss), Baha will bypass these problems and stimulate the inner ear directly.
  • While Baha is a surgically-placed device, you can experience listening through the Baha as part of our evaluation to determine if this technology is right for you.
• Custom earmolds for noise, music, swimming, or surfing
  • Custom earplugs can protect your ears from noise. These are made to fit perfectly into your ears and come in a variety of colors.
  • Musician’s earplugs are custom-shaped for your ear and include filters that maintain the balance and quality of music, while protecting your ears from damage.
  • Swimming/surfing plugs are custom-shaped for your ears and protect your ears from water. These can prevent two common conditions: “swimmer’s ear” (otitis externa) and “surfer’s ear” (exostoses). Otitis externa is an infection of the ear canal caused by bacteria that may thrive in moist conditions. Exostoses are bony growths in the ear canal caused by exposure to cold wind or water.

Tinnitus Treatment

• Neuromonics treatment
• Hearing aids and tinnitus maskers

Cochlear Implants

• Candidacy assessment: Hearing testing with and without hearing aids, plus medical evaluations
• Programming and troubleshooting of Advanced Bionics, Cochlear, and MedEl cochlear implants

Vestibular (Dizziness) Evaluation

• Videonystagmography (VNG)
• Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP)
• Electrocochleography (EcoG)

Facial Nerve Evaluation

• Electroneuronography (EnoG)