Midwest Medical Specialists

The Audiology Department at Midwest Medical Specialists is a patient-centered clinic dedicated to assessing conditions associated with hearing. In every case, the patient is part of the decision-making process, whether it's a matter of choosing a hearing aid or a course of treatment.

MMS audiologists keep current with the latest technology in hearing aids, treatments, testing, and surgical options. We also provide counseling and rehab services for those who have difficulty adjusting to amplification. Our goal is to provide the most accurate information to our patients and the most accurate testing results for the referring physician.

Evaluation

Hearing loss and other ear-related ailments have many causes and can occur at any age. MMS audiologists will assess your hearing and/or balance issues through thorough consultation, testing and evaluation to assist the physicians in determining causes and developing a treatment plan.

A thorough hearing exam helps determine the extent and underlying causes of hearing loss.
Photo courtesy of: CC STUDIO / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Depending on the symptoms, complaints and observations, the following evaluations may be performed:

• Hearing assessments in adults & children
• Balance evaluations using ENG (Electronystagmography)
• Electrophysiological testing such as ECoG(Electrocochleography) to assist in diagnosis of Meniere's Disease/Endolymphatic Hydrops
• ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) - To detect presence of acoustic tumors and to assess hearing when the patient is unable to perform standard behavioral audiometry
• OAEs (Otoacoustic Emissions) - To detect cochlear damage caused by certain pathologies, ototoxic medication, noise exposure, and to assess cochlear function in children
• Vertigo Treatment* - Using the Epley Maneuver, an in-office procedure to treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)

Assistive Listening Devices

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) can open up a world of hearing and communications that those who are hard of hearing often miss. Even if you wear a hearing aid, ALDs can help further improve ease of hearing (reducing stress and fatigue) in many day-to-day communication situations. Together, hearing aids and ALDs can truly improve not only your listening ability, but also your ability to communicate with others.

A thorough hearing exam helps determine the extent and underlying causes of hearing loss.
Photo courtesy of: CC STUDIO / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Midwest Medical Specialists' Audiology Department offers a variety of ALDs that may be of interest to you, including:

• TV and phone amplifiers
• Alert devices for doorbell & phone
• Alert devices for baby cries
• Alert devices for smoke detectors and alarms
• Personal FM system (transmitter microphone/receiver) - Useful for listening to guides, meetings, waiters or lectures, etc.

Whether or not you were fitted with your hearing aid at MMS, our audiologists will be happy to have you as a patient, and to introduce you to this exciting world of improved hearing and communications. Just call us.

Hearing Aids

Approximately 31 million Americans aged 48 and older have some form of hearing loss. Of these, about 20% will have a hearing loss that is medically or surgically treatable, while the rest can be helped with amplification (hearing aids).

Studies have shown that untreated hearing loss can lead to depression, isolation, anxiety, and withdrawal from family and previously enjoyed activities. The best type of amplification for each person varies and is determined by your hearing loss, lifestyle needs, type of noise environments you may find yourself in, as well as manual dexterity and visual ability. There is a hearing aid available for most budgets.

If you think you may have hearing loss, some questions to ask yourself are:

1. Do you feel that people mumble when speaking?
2. Do you have to ask people to repeat what they've said, especially if there is other noise in the room?
3. Do others tell you that your TV is turned up too loud?
4. Can you hear the birds singing, or a watch ticking when held to your ear?

There are different styles of hearing aids available. Behind-the-ear (BTE's) and mini or open-fit BTE's are currently very popular styles of hearing aids. We also carry in-the-ear hearing aids (ITEs), in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids, as well as completely in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids. The style of aid you choose is based upon the degree of hearing loss, manual dexterity, and available features.

This is a place holder for later.
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Technological advances in hearing aids allow them to function much like mini-computers in your ear, enabling them to perform millions of calculations and adjustments within milliseconds. They can continually adjust and adapt for different types of environments so that, while not like normal hearing, you can hear as clearly as possible. Some of the available features in hearing aids are:

Automatic Feedback Reduction - Helps to reduce the annoying whistling sound often heard with older hearing aids

Directional Microphones - Microphones which help you hear sounds in front of you and behind you. When the back microphone is turned off, it helps reduce sounds coming from behind, which is particularly helpful in noisy situations such as restaurants.

Multiple Memories - Three or four programs are available in the hearing aid so that we can program it to function differently in multiple listening environments, such as quiet, background noise, and telephone. We can also make a memory for more specific situations such as church, bowling, outdoors, and traffic, to name a few. Some hearing aids will automatically change and adjust for these situations, while with other hearing aids you can push a button to make it switch.

Automatic Telecoil - Automatically adjusts the hearing aid so that it's compatible with your home telephone and many cell phones. This allows you to hear comfortably without pushing buttons or removing the hearing aid from your ear.

Digital Noise Reduction - Helps to lessen loud sounds and improve comfort, especially in noisy environments

Automatic Switching - The hearing aid can determine noise level and the type of listening environment and automatically adjust itself so that you can hear in better in situations such as quiet, noise, music and telephone, among others.

Data Logging - the hearing aid records the average sound level input to the hearing aid, your volume control adjustments, battery life, how often it switches memories, and other information about your hearing aid use. This will provide information and make recommendations for adjustments so we can fine tune the hearing aid to meet your needs.

Remote Control - Some manufacturers offer remote controls so that you can control memories and volume without having to touch your hearing aids. Some remotes also allow the wearer to fine-tune and train the hearing aid for different listening situations. This allows the hearing aid to perform better for you. Remote controls are also good for people with manual dexterity problems as well.

Bluetooth Capabliltiy - Some hearing aids are wired for Bluetooth connections, which allows you to wirelessly pair with your cell phone, MP3 players, TV and stereos so they will play directly through your hearing aids.

Wireless Coupling - Allows the hearing aids to work together, so that you can adjust the volume or program on one hearing aid and it will adjust the other ear at the same time.

Rechargeable Batteries - Some hearing aids use rechargeable batteries, so you may only need to change the battery about once a year.

New styles of hearing aids have fewer adjustment issues and are nearly invisible.
Photo courtesy of: HELEN MCARDLE / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Pediatric Services

Children present unique challenges when it comes to testing and evaluation. Patience and approachability are two qualities MMS audiologists strive for most in working with very young patients. Often, when children come into the office, they are afraid and we try to make them as comfortable as possible so we can gain their trust.

Hearing tests and exams need to be geared to the unique needs and fears of children.
Photo courtesy of: LEA PATERSON / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Another key aspect of our care is parent communication. Providing emotional and professional support to the parents is a must. We offer as much education and information to parents as possible to insure they have a complete understanding of their child's hearing healthcare needs.

MMS employs testing techniques that take into consideration that very young children simply can't communicate or respond in the way adults can. To overcome this challenge, we utilize otoacoustic emissions, sound-field audiometry, and conditioned play audiometry to make our evaluations. Once children are old enough to cooperate, we can turn to more conventional testing techniques.