Audiology

This is a standard “hearing test.” You will wear headphones and be asked to raise your hand or press a button when you hear soft beeps. This determines whether hearing loss is present, and if so, how much and what type.

Immittance tests evaluate the function of the structures in the middle ear and eardrum.

Two types of immittance tests:

1. Tympanometry - A measurement of outer and middle ear function. You will wear a soft rubber earplug, and specialized equipment will automatically measure the movement of your eardrum in response to pressure changes. This determines whether your outer and middle ear systems are functioning normally.
   
   
2. Acoustic Reflex Assessments - Acoustic reflex testing is a measurement of how sound travels through your auditory pathway. You will wear a soft rubber earplug and you will hear some loud beeps. Our specialized equipment will automatically measure your auditory pathway’s response to these beeps.

Assesses how well you hear and understand speech. You will wear headphones and be asked to repeat words at soft and normal conversational levels.

Assesses your inner ear function. You will wear a soft earphone and hear some electronic noises. Our computer will automatically measure your ear’s response to these noises.

Assesses how sound travels through your auditory system. A few small areas on your head will be cleaned with rubbing alcohol, and electrodes that look like stickers will be placed on your skin. These electrodes are to measure your auditory system’s response to sound. You will hear some clicking noises during the test. You can relax or even sleep during testing.

Today’s hearing aids are more discreet and technologically advanced than ever before. Each hearing aid is programmed to match prescribed targets for your specific hearing needs. Hearing aid purchase includes a 45-day trial period, enabling you to try the hearing aids risk-free to experience how they may benefit you.

We provide comprehensive troubleshooting of any issues you may be experiencing with your hearing aids.

Sophisticated accessories, such as remote controls, remote microphones,TV adapters, and Bluetooth cellphone interfaces, are also available for purchase.

For deafness in one ear, or asymmetric hearing loss - If you have deafness in one ear, and your other ear is normal or has a more serviceable hearing loss, CROS/BiCROS may help. This technology uses two parts: a transmitter and a receiver. Both parts look like small hearing aids. The transmitter is worn on the poorer ear; the receiver is on the better ear. The transmitter picks up sound and sends it to the receiver, so that sound on the poorer side is sent to the better ear.

CROS/BiCROS hearing aid purchase includes a 45-day trial period, enabling you to try this technology.

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.

Protects your ears from noise or water. 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). Exostoses are bony growths in the ear canal caused by exposure to cold wind or water.

These devices provide additional input to the auditory system and may help mask tinnitus. Some hearing aids have specialized programs that provide stimulation designed to reduce tinnitus.

Candidacy assessment consists of hearing testing with and without hearing aids, plus medical evaluations. The assessment also includes thorough discussion of how the technology works and what you can expect, and if this technology might benefit you.

Cochlear implants are typically recommended for those who are struggling with hearing aids. Cochlear implants send sound directly to the hearing nerve, bypassing any damage that may be present in the cochlea (inner ear organ).

After the cochlear device (e.g., Advanced Bionics, Cochlear Americas or Medel) is implanted, the audiologist will adjust the device to provide the most appropriate level of stimulation through a process called mapping.

Internal component: The implanted component is a neural stimulator electrode that is placed directly onto the auditory portion of the brainstem and connected to a receiver placed just under the skin behind the ear. The implant will only work in conjunction with the external component.

External component: This includes a sound processor, microphone, and transmission coil and must be worn behind the ear for sound to be heard. This will not be activated until at least six weeks after the implantation surgery.

Results of an auditory brainstem implant vary significantly among patients. While the ABI doesn't restore normal hearing, it helps improve your awareness of sounds in the environment. In combination with lip reading, these cues can improve your communication with others.

Before surgery, you will consult with our medical experts and audiologists, who will review your medical records and discuss treatment recommendations and the process with you. Some of this can occur by phone or video conference with typed transcription if you live outside the San Diego area.

During surgery, the surgical team places the ABI electrode completely over the auditory center of your brainstem. We test your electrical auditory responses during the operation, which can help predict how much of a response you might be able to expect from the device.

Several follow-up appointments will be held after surgery to check your progress and to activate and program the device.

This is a comprehensive examination of your vestibular (inner ear balance) system. During the test, you will wear goggles that have tiny video cameras to record your eye movements. First, you will be sitting upright and watching some moving lights. Second, you will be moved from sitting to laying down in various positions. Finally, cool and warm air will be placed in your ears. During each section, the goggles will record your vestibular system’s response by tracking eye movements.

This test examines a balance organ in the inner ear called the saccule. You will wear a foam earphone and hear some clicking noises. During the test, you will lie down and raise your head using your neck muscles. Recording electrodes will take a measurement of your system’s response.

This test is helpful in diagnosing Meniere's disease and other disorders of the inner ear. Your ear canal will be gently cleaned and a foam earphone will be inserted. Electrodes that look like stickers will be placed on your skin to record your auditory system’s response to sound. You will hear some clicking noises during the test. You can relax or even sleep during testing.