What to expect during your hearing evaluation.

Our professional and caring staff will perform a comprehensive battery of tests specifically designed to present an accurate assessment of the nature of your hearing loss.

These tests include:

• Patient profile interview
• Word recognition test to evaluate our ability to hear speech clearly
• Audiometric test of frequency-specific sensitivity
• Dynamic range testing to determine the range of sounds most comfortable to you

It may just be wax

Surprisingly, over one-third of the people we test don't need a hearing aid. Very often, a simple wax blockage is the problem. That's why we routinely perform a video otoscopic inspection of your ear canal and eardrum to be sure there is no blockage or any other visible condition that could impair your hearing. Hearing loss caused by a possible medical condition could be serious. If this is the case, we will refer you to a physician.

If a hearing loss is present, we'll educate and explain the benefits of each type and style of hearing aid available. We'll then tell you what we think would be best for your individual needs. If you chose to purchase hearing aids from us, we'll make sure you are fully satisfied with their fit and performance.

We specialize in 100% Audibel Digital Technology

We offer the very latest in high fidelity, digitally programmable and 100% digital instruments. Audibel's state-of-the-art Digital Signal Processor provides a more accurate fitting with clean, clear sound quality. Digital technology's superiority over traditional analog hearing aids isn't just what it can do with sounds, but how much better it does it.

Incoming signals are converted into computerized 'bits,' which can be processed, or manipulated extremely fast and efficiently in many complex ways. Sounds are divided into frequency chanels. These help preserve and emphasize the higher frequencies containing vital consonant sounds in speech -- the "c" and "t" sounds in "cat" -- over the distracting rumble of low frequency sound.

This elaborate frequency channel network can also minimize and eliminate the onset of feedback, a common nemesis to hearing instrument use. Feedback is detected before it becomes audible. It then is reduced in just those channels, with no noticeable effect on perceived volume levels.