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Custom Ear Protection
Whether you need to keep your ears dry during swimming, want a more comfortable fit for your portable CD player or cell phone, and even if you just need to protect your hearing in noisy environments, custom ear products are definitely the way to go. More comfortable and more effective than over-the-counter, non-custom ear pieces, these products are a simple and affordable way to meet your individual needs. Colorful, comfortable swim plugs are available for those persons who need to keep their ears dry due to chronic ear problems or surgical placement of ear tubes. These are great for trips to the beach, the pool or even the tub or shower. They even float in water so the concern for losing them is minimized. Hearing protection comes in a variety of styles for a variety of needs.
Ask our audiologist about custom plugs for minimizing loud noises, plugs for musicians and vocalists, plugs for hunting or recreational shooting and even for getting a good night's sleep in the presence of someone who snores! We can also make custom ear pieces for your hands-free cell phone accessories, portable CD players and radios, stethoscopes, and, of course, behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids. Professional musicians and vocalists who use floor wedge monitors during performances should check out the ear-level systems that eliminate the need for floor wedges, allow you to hear yourself and your bandmates and still be responsible about hearing conservation without compromising your performance. All of these products require a simple, quick and painless impression of the ear that serves as the basis for your order. We order all our custom products from Westone Labs, an industry leader since 1959, and we invite you to visit their home page for additional information.
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Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs)
When hearing aids are not enough or there are other specific needs, assistive listening devices (or ALDs) are often a good solution for hearing impaired persons. Our office is able to supply a wide variety of devices such as amplified telephones, infrared and FM systems for television, music and meeting rooms, alarm clocks, doorbells and smoke detectors, among others. Our audiologist can provide information and suggestions for your specific circumstances. While we don't maintain a large inventory in the office, we can promptly order any device on a case-by-case basis.
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Hearing Aids
When the time comes to purchase hearing aids, you need to be sure that you're choosing the right instruments and that you feel comfortable and confident about the expertise of your clinician. Hearing aids are an important step and require patience, willingness and a commitment to the rehabilitative process by both the patient and the audiologist. Digital technology has had a dramatic impact on the performance of hearing aids and our office works only with those companies who have made a serious pledge to providing the latest advances in their products. With more than fifteen years of dispensing experience, our audiologist can guide you toward the right choices for your lifestyle, your budget and your individual hearing needs. We provide comprehensive follow-up services and are committed to helping our patients succeed. Consultations are available by appointment.
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Implantable Technologies
Cochlear Implants
When severe or profound bilateral hearing losses are no longer treatable
with traditional hearing aids, cochlear implants can be an important option for
the right patient. Implant technology has advanced significantly over the years
and the candidacy criteria have relaxed to include a wider range of ages and
degrees of loss. Many patients who lack the ability to hear and understand speech
clearly can benefit from cochlear implantation. There are specific candidacy
tests that must be completed to determine if a cochlear implant is appropriate
for a hearing impaired individual and our office will assist patients in accomplishing
this process. Once Dr. Hodgson completes the surgical portion of placing the
implant, the patient works closely with the audiologist to program the external
hardware, or "speech processor". The speech processor stores the digital information (or MAP) needed to effectively stimulate the tiny electrode array that Dr. Hodgson has placed within the cochlea. While cochlear implants are not a "quick fix" treatment
for hearing loss and require a sincere commitment to frequent audiologic follow-up,
they have become one of the most rewarding procedures we perform. We invite you
to learn more about cochlear implants by visiting the web site of our supplier,
Cochlear Americas.
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Baha Systems
As described in our Procedures page, Baha systems are for an entirely different patient profile. There are several specific conditions that could warrant the placement of a Baha:
- A conductive or mixed hearing loss that has not successfully responded to surgery;
- A chronically draining ear that cannot tolerate a traditional hearing aid despite medical intervention;
- Patients who have no ear canal (atresia) or small, malformed outer ears (microtia);
- Normal hearing in one ear with a permanent, profound hearing loss in the other (also called single-sided deafness or SSD).
A common treatment option in Europe, our office is one of just a handful of facilities in the region that provide the surgical and audiological services for Baha implantation. Once Dr. Hodgson has completed the surgical portion of the Baha implant, there is a 3-4 month waiting period while the implant "osseointegrates" into the bone, meaning that the bone must actually grow around the screw fixture and unify for the fitting to be successful. When the osseointegration phase is complete, patients return to the office and our audiologist fits the external sound processor. This sound processor directs sound toward the inner ear using the efficiency of bone conduction while bypassing the outer and middle ear. Unlike cochlear implantation that requires multiple follow-up visits over time, Baha's tend to be very low maintenance and require little more than annual check-ups once the fitting process is complete. For additional information about Baha systems, please visit the home page for our Baha supplier,
Cochlear Americas. |
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Custom Ear Protection
Cochlear Implants