Audiology

Dr. Humphreys and his staff diagnose and treat children and adults with hearing problems, hearing loss or balance problems.

Approximately 28 million Americans have a hearing impairment. Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent chronic health conditions in the United States, affecting people of all ages, in all segments of the population, and across all socioeconomic levels. Hearing loss affects approximately 17 in 1,000 children under age 18. Incidence increases with age: approximately 314 in 1,000 people over age 65 have hearing loss.

Hearing loss can be hereditary, or it can result from disease, trauma, or long-term exposure to damaging noise or medications. Hearing loss can vary from a mild but important loss of sensitivity, to a total loss of hearing.

Hearing also can be permanently damaged or lost due to gun noise. Hunters, those who shoot guns for sport and employees in factory settings need to wear appropriate ear protection to avoid any injury to their hearing. Dr. Humphreys can develop custom ear protection for any situation.

Dr. Humphreys determines the appropriate treatment by combining a complete patient history with a variety of specialized auditory and vestibular assessments.

Based upon the diagnosis, he will provide a variety of treatment options to patients with hearing impairment or balance problems. He also provides and fits hearing aids as part of a comprehensive program.


Symptoms:
People with hearing loss may experience some or all of the following problems:

• Difficulty hearing conversations, especially when there is background noise.
• Hissing, roaring, or ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
• Difficulty hearing the television or radio at a normal volume.
• Fatigue and irritation caused by the effort to hear.
• Dizziness or problems with balance.

Testing:
Dr. Humphreys staff will identify and measure hearing loss and will perform a hearing test to assess the type and degree of loss.



Hearing Aid information:
Hearing aids are particularly useful in improving the hearing and speech comprehension of people with sensorineural hearing loss. When choosing a hearing aid, the audiologist will consider your hearing ability, work and home activities, physical limitations, medical conditions, and cosmetic preferences. For many people, cost is also an important factor. You and your audiologist must decide whether one or two hearing aids will be best for you. Wearing two hearing aids may help balance sounds, improve your understanding of words in noisy situations, and make it easier to locate the source of sounds.

There are several types of hearing aids. Each type offers different advantages, depending on its design, levels of amplification, and size.
Dr. Humphreys and his staff will assist you in selecting the proper hearing aid to suit your hearing as well as your lifestyle.