Audiology and Hearing Aid Services
Youngstown Hearing & Speech Center provides the
finest audiology and hearing aid care. The Center combines state of
the art hearing testing and evaluation of hearing problems. We offer
a full range of hearing aids including conventional, behind the ear,
programmable, and digital hearing instruments.
Pediatric and Adult Services
YHSC provides professional audiology services for
adults and children of all ages, including newborns. Services
available at The Center include clinical audiometry, tympanometry,
sound field-testing, otoacoustic emission (OAE) testing, and hearing
aid selection and fitting.
 YHSC serves with Forum Health’s Northside Medical Center, Women Infant
Pavilion and Tod Children’s Hospital. Audiology
services available at the hospital site include basic audiometry,
tympanometry, otoacoustic emission (OAE) testing, auditory and
visual evoked potentials, and electronystagmography (ENG). The Center’s
audiologists conduct the newborn universal hearing-screening
program at Beeghly Medical Center. The Center also provides audiology services to
several area nursing homes and pre-schools.
Staff
The
Center’s full-time audiology staff specializes in the diagnosis and
rehabilitation of hearing loss. All audiologists have a Masters
Degree in Audiology and are licensed by the State of Ohio’s Board
of Speech Pathology and Audiology. The Center’s audiologists all
have a Certificate of Clinical Competence granted by the American
Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Types of Hearing Loss
There are three types of hearing loss: conductive,
sensorineural or mixed hearing loss, based on the
location of the problem in the auditory system.
Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is
not conducted efficiently through the outer and middle ear.
Conductive losses primarily reduce the loudness of sound that is
heard. Frequent colds, allergies or certain childhood illnesses may
cause a blockage of sound due to fluid in the middle ear behind the
ear drum leading to temporary hearing loss or even permanent
damage. A build up of wax, infection in the middle ear, heredity and
birth defects also may cause conductive hearing loss.
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is
damage to the inner ear and/or nerve pathways from the inner ear to
the brain. Sensorineural losses usually result in reduction of sound level and inability to understand speech. The aging process,
heredity, syndromes, birth defects, certain medication, head injury,
tumors, and repeated exposure to noise can lead to this type of
hearing loss.
Mixed hearing loss is a conductive, and a sensorineural loss, in the same ear at the same time.
Although recommendations can vary, virtually
all types and degrees of hearing loss can be treated. Once an
audiologist performs a comprehensive evaluation and identifies a
hearing loss, a recommendation will be made. Some
available options include referral for medical treatment, fitting of hearing
aids, and the use of communication strategies and assistive listening
devices.
Hearing Instruments
YHSC offers an impressive selection of
conventional and the most latest in digital and programmable
hearing aids. We also offer hearing aid repairs, hearing aid
accessories, batteries, custom ear molds, custom swim plugs and
assistive listening devices. Primary hearing aid companies are www.phonak.com, www.starkey.com and www.oticon.com.
Hearing instruments improve speech understanding in various situations and support the many functions of the human hearing (location of sounds, enjoyment of music, …).
As the kind and degree of hearing loss varies from person to person and even sometimes from ear to ear, there are different hearing instrument models which are tailored to specific hearing losses and which take into account personal needs.
Hearing instruments are distinguished by design and technology.
Design
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In-The-Ear model (ITE): The unobtrusive hearing instruments that are worn in the ear. Aesthetically pleasing, they cover hearing losses from mild to medium. The smallest ITE-models are called CIC (Completely-in-Canal), they can be worn completely in the canal and are therefore hardly visible.
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CIC |
Mini-Canal (ITC) |
Half Shell (ITC) |
Full Shell (ITE) |
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Behind-The-Ear model (BTE): The versatile and powerful hearing instruments that are worn behind the ear. They can be employed for all degrees of hearing losses and are particularly beneficial for severe hearing losses and special requirements regarding hearing in difficult listening situations (FM systems etc.)
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Technology
Digital: Microprocessors (digital signal processing) guarantee highest signal processing and fitting flexibility in addition to providing maximum speech understanding. Individual preferences and needs can be taken into account. Individual and sophisticated.
Digitally programmable: Analog technology, which is programmed via Software (PC) for the best possible adaptation of the conventional signal processing to the hearing loss. Economic and effective.
Analog: Conventional technology for all degrees of hearing loss. The fitting is performed with control elements directly on the hearing instrument. Well-priced and proven technology.
Purchasing Hearing Aids
When purchasing a hearing aid it is important
to look for the following:
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An audiologist who is licensed by The State Of Ohio, and
certified by ASHA or AAA
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A thorough hearing evaluation, which
includes an examination of the ears and a review of your medical
history.
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An explanation of the different types of
available technology, and how they might meet the needs of your
lifestyle.
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A fitting period that allows you to
determine if the hearing aid(s) recommended for you are
appropriate for your hearing loss.
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A fitting policy in which the price of the
hearing aid(s) includes a one-year warranty as well as office
visits for cleaning and care of your hearing aid(s).
Battery Club
YHSC offers all of their hearing aid
clients the opportunity to join their battery club at no charge. Clients enrolled in this program receive special discounts on
battery purchases.
Payment Options
YHSC maintains a 30-day trial period on
all hearing aids. The trial period allows the new hearing aid user
time to adjust to the hearing aid and the audiologist time to make
any necessary modifications. A hearing aid check is performed
during the trial period to make sure that the hearing aid provides the appropriate of benefit to the client.
United Way and Donor Supported Hearing Aid
As a
not for profit organization, YHSC
operates a hearing aid dispensing program for children and adults unable to afford
them. We receive financial support from The United Way from various Foundations,
service organizations and individual donors that enable us to
provide this much needed service.
Low-income children or adults
in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties can benefit. YHSC uses the Federal Poverty Guidelines to determine the amount
of money available for each patient. Monetary assistance for hearing
aids and assistive devices is capped at a certain dollar amount. Adults and children are eligible for one new aid every
four years.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or would like to talk
with our audiologists contact the Youngstown Hearing & Speech Center
or tmaxwell@yohsc.com
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