The Hearing Center offers full audiological evaluations and vestibular testing, hearing aids, noise plugs and earmolds for swimming.
Hearing Loss Hearing Aids Ringing in the Ears Meet the Audiologist
Hearing loss affects approximately 28 million people in the United States (about 1 out of 10 individuals). In the past the detrimental effects loud noise exposure (rock music concerts, gunfire, factory noise, etc.) had on hearing were not understood. Recently, the importance of hearing protection in the workplace, military, and recreation has been strongly emphasized. Often, irreversible damage resulting from years of noise exposure may continue to worsen if proper precautions are not taken. Custom noise plugs (and earmolds for swimming) are available at the Hearing Center of Drs. Hansbrough, Peters and Petit.
Don’t be a statistic that goes unassisted. If you have noticed yourself having to ask friends and family members to continuously repeat themselves or stop mumbling, you may be at risk for hearing loss. Hearing loss is not always related to noise exposure or family history; sometimes the cause is never identified. The type and degree of loss, however, may be determined easily by an audiologist. The office of Drs. Hansbrough, Peters and Petit has a Clinical Audiologist on staff– Kelley Ainsworth, M.C.D. If the results of an audiological evaluation reveal a medical cause or complication of hearing loss (ex. current middle ear infection, mastoiditis, otosclorosis, etc.) one of the doctors in the practice is consulted. He is able to address the matter from a medical standpoint and inform the patient of all possible interventions including medication, surgery and/or hearing aids.
A majority of hearing loss experienced by patients is permanent and may not be “cured”. At that time the candidacy of the patient for a hearing aid is evaluated. In the past hearing aids have had a very negative connotation in the n-finds of many people. Aids were associated with large bulky devices with poor sound quality. That is not the situation we are presented with today. Some devices may be made nearly as small as a man’s thumbnail. Other recent advances in technology have given us the option of truly digital hearing aids. The sound quality of these digital aids has been compared to conventional hearing aids in a manner that LP records are compared to compact discs. Hearing aids allow many sounds that were missed in the past to become audible. Therefore, there will be an adjustment period during which the patient becomes accustomed to hearing the sounds of life again. Keep in mind that no hearing aid will restore “normal hearing of an eighteen year old” or completely cut out background noise.
Many individuals with hearing loss also suffer from tinnitis– noise or ringing in the ears. Often times, hearing aids are beneficial in masking out this annoying complication. Since everyone is different and there are so many hearing aid style, brands and technologies are available we must experiment with each patient to find the most suitable for him. Therefore, at the Hearing Center of Drs. Hansbrough, Peters and Petit, we offer the patient a thirty day trial period. During this time adjustments are made and different aids ordered if necessary. At the end of the month, the patient must decide if the benefits are sufficient. If the aid is returned, so is the money (minus a fifty dollar deposit).
| (Audiologist) Kelley Powell, MS/CCC-A |
Kelley is a native of Baton Rouge. She graduated with a Masters of Communication Disorders from Louisiana State University Medical Center, May 1995.
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