Hearing Center South
Hearing and vision are your two
most important senses. We treat them
both here. Hearing loss is the world's
single most common disability.
Correcting it can result in a significant improvement in quality of
life. We now offer diagnostic audiology services, including comprehensive
hearing evaluations, hearing aids, and assistive devices. Our full-time audiologist, Amy B. Kennedy, Au.D., CCC-A, performs the
evaluation and recommends appropriate treatment for your hearing loss. Dr. Kennedy will assist you in the selection
of hearing aids or make referrals if medical treatment is required for your
hearing loss.
Staff
Amy B. Kennedy,
Au.D., CCC-A
Our audiologist has met state
and national requirements for providing hearing health services. Dr. Kennedy obtained her Bachelor's degree in
communication disorders from Auburn University Montgomery and her Doctor of
Audiology degree from the University
of South Alabama. She completed her internship at the UAB
Civitan-Sparks Clinics in Birmingham,
AL. She then worked as an audiologist with ENT
Associates of Alabama in Birmingham,
AL before coming to work with
us.
Hearing Loss
Questionnaire
If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, you may have
a hearing loss. Call us today to
schedule a complete hearing evaluation with our audiologist.
- Do
people complain that you aren't listening?
- Do
people complain that you turn the TV volume up too high?
- Do you
have difficulty understanding women's or children's voices?
- Do people
seem to mumble (not speak clearly)?
- Do you
have difficulty following conversations in groups or noisy situations?
- Do you
frequently have to ask others to repeat themselves?
- Do you
feel like you hear, but you don't understand?
- Do you
have trouble understanding when someone is not looking directly at you?
- Do you
have difficulty hearing in public gathering places (church, theater,
concert hall)?
- Do you
have difficulty hearing on the telephone?
- Do you
avoid family gatherings, meetings, or social situations because you can't
understand what people are saying?
- Has a family member or
friend mentioned that you could have a hearing problem?
Our Services
- Comprehensive audiological evaluations
- Hearing aid evaluations
- Hearing aid fitting of the latest digital technology
- Hearing aid cleaning and repair
- Hearing aid adjustment
- Custom-made earmolds
- Assistive listening devices
- Custom-made ear plugs
- Custom-made plugs and monitors for musicians
- Hearing aid battery sales
Audiological and hearing aid
evaluations
Our
audiologist is licensed by the Alabama Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology
and Audiology and holds national certification to evaluate hearing and fit hearing
instruments. An initial hearing evaluation
includes a comprehensive battery of tests, including pure tone and speech
discrimination testing, tympanometry, acoustic reflex testing, and Distortion
Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE) testing.
We offer the latest digital technology and provide hearing aids of all
styles. The level of your hearing loss,
shape of your ear canal, and your needs, tastes, and budget are taken into
consideration when selecting the hearing aid.
We provide a 30-day adjustment period for all new hearing aids. All hearing aids have a 1 or 2 year warranty
for repairs and loss and damage.
In-house cleaning, repairs, and adjustments are provided at no
additional cost for the life of the hearing aid.
Hearing aid cleaning and repair
All
hearing aids purchased through our office include in-house cleaning, repairs,
and adjustments for the life of the hearing aid. Repairs that require sending the hearing aid
to the manufacturer are covered at no cost during the warranty period. Repairs made after the warranty is expired
will be charged according to the manufacturer's fee. Extended warranties are available for
purchase through our office. Hearing
aids purchased outside our office may be serviced for a small fee.
Assistive listening devices
For
some listening situations, a hearing aid may not be recommended, or a hearing
aid may not provide enough benefit. In
those cases, we may recommend an assistive listening device. We offer the
latest hearing assistance products including amplified phones, infrared TV
amplifiers, vibrating alarm clocks, visual alerting devices, and personal FM
listening systems.
Custom earmolds, ear plugs, and
monitors
Our
custom earmolds provide a better seal than "generic" ear plugs and are available
for behind-the-ear hearing aids, telephone headsets, stethoscopes, custom
swimplugs, musicians' plugs, musicians' monitors, or for noise protection.
Hearing Aid Information
A
hearing instrument is personally designed for you. It is adapted for your hearing loss, the
shape of your ear, and your listening preferences. We fit only digital hearing
aids. Microprocessors provide the
highest signal processing and fitting flexibility in addition to providing
maximum speech understanding. Various levels of technology are available in
each hearing aid style. The most common
styles are behind-the-ear (BTE), micro behind-the-ear, in-the-ear (ITE),
in-the-canal (ITC), and completely-in-the-canal (CIC). All hearing aids come with a 30-day
adjustment period.
Behind-the-ear (BTE)- These instruments are
versatile and are flexible for all levels of hearing loss. They are especially beneficial for severe
hearing loss or special requirements.
The sound is delivered to the ear through a custom earmold or a slim tube
option.
Micro behind-the-ear- These instruments are
designed for primarily high-frequency hearing loss. They are small and feather-light. The instrument disappears behind your ear. The sound is delivered through extremely thin
tubing, resulting in a virtually invisible fitting and leaving the ear
naturally open.
In-the-ear (ITE)- These instruments are very
flexible and can be worn with mild to severe hearing loss. They provide a good combination of ease of
use and cosmetic appeal.
In-the-canal (ITC)- These instruments offer
discreet appearance and are appropriate for mild to moderately-severe hearing
loss.
Completely-in-the-canal (CIC)- These
instruments are very discreet and use tiny components to fit entirely in the
ear canal. Benefits include ease of use
with the telephone and outdoors. These
instruments can be worn with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Accessories such as remote
controls and wireless communication systems are also available for use with
hearing aids.
 
Frequently asked questions
What is an audiologist?
An audiologist is a
professional who diagnoses, treats, and manages individuals with hearing loss
or balance problems. Audiologists have received a master's or doctoral degree
from an accredited university graduate program. Their academic and clinical
training provides the foundation for patient management from birth through
adulthood. Audiologists determine appropriate patient treatment of hearing and
balance problems by combining a complete history with a variety of specialized
auditory and vestibular assessments. Based upon the diagnosis, the audiologist
presents a variety of treatment options to patients with hearing impairment or
balance problems. Audiologists dispense and fit hearing aids as part of a
comprehensive rehabilitative program.
Audiologists hold master's or doctoral degrees from accredited
universities with special training in the prevention, identification,
assessment and non-medical treatment of hearing disorders. Audiologists are
required to complete a full-time internship and pass a demanding national
competency examination. By virtue of their graduate education and licensure,
audiologists are the most qualified professionals to perform hearing tests,
refer patients for medical treatment, and provide hearing rehabilitation
services. (American
Academy of Audiology)
What causes hearing
loss?
Hearing loss in adults
has many causes such as disease or infection, ototoxic drugs, exposure to
noise, tumors, trauma, and the aging process. This loss may or may not be
accompanied by tinnitus, or ringing, in the ears. Tinnitus can occur by itself without
any hearing loss. A common cause of hearing loss in adults is hearing loss as a
result of the aging process, known as presbycusis. The
process involves degeneration of the inner ear (cochlea). Presbycusis can also
involve other parts of the auditory system. The hearing loss is progressive in
nature with the high frequencies affected first. While the process may begin
after age 20, it is typically at ages 55 to 65 that the high frequencies
in the speech range begin to be affected. (American Speech-Language Hearing
Association)
What are the
different types of hearing loss?
Hearing loss can
be categorized by the part of the auditory system that is damaged. The three basic types of hearing loss are:
sensorineural, conductive, and mixed hearing loss.
Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not efficiently conducted
through the outer ear canal, the ear drum, and the bones in the middle
ear. The sensory cells for hearing are
healthy, but there is a problem with the transmission of sound to the organ of
hearing. Conductive hearing loss usually
results in a reduced sound level (feeling of being "stopped up," or that sound
is "muffled.") Sound is often perceived
clearly once it is made louder. In many
cases, this type of hearing loss can be improved or corrected with medical or
surgical treatment. If this type hearing
loss is found on a hearing evaluation, the audiologist will refer you to a physician
for a medical evaluation. Examples of conditions that can cause conductive
hearing loss are:
- Middle ear pathology, such as fluid
in the middle ear (behind the ear drum), excessive pressure behind the ear
drum, a perforated ear drum (a hole in the ear drum), fixation of the
bones in the middle ear (otosclerosis), and benign tumors.
- Impacted ear wax.
- Infection in the ear canal (swimmer's
ear).
- A foreign body in the ear canal.
- Absence or malformation of the outer
ear, ear canal, or middle ear.
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when
there is damage to the inner or on the nerve pathways from the ear to the
brain. This type hearing loss is
permanent and not typically treatable with medicine or surgery. Sensorineural hearing loss results in a
reduced sound level, but may also affect the ability to hear clearly, even if
sound is made louder. It can be caused by diseases, birth injury, drugs
that are toxic to the auditory system, and genetic syndromes. Sensorineural
hearing loss may also occur as a result of noise exposure, viruses, head
trauma, aging, and tumors.
Mixed hearing loss occurs when there is
both a conductive and a sensorineural component to the hearing
loss. In addition to the inner ear or
nerve damage, there is also a problem with the transmission of sound through
the outer or middle ear. If this type
hearing loss is found on a hearing evaluation, the audiologist will refer you
to a physician for medical treatment of the conductive
component of the hearing loss. The
remaining permanent hearing loss may then be improved through amplification if
appropriate.
Do I need 2
hearing aids?
Being able to hear with both ears is just as important as
being able to see with both eyes. If
you have difficulty hearing with both ears, you will almost certainly benefit
from wearing a hearing instrument in each ear.
The most important benefits of wearing two
hearing aids are:
·
Your ability to localize sounds (determine which
direction sound is coming from) will improve.
·
It will be easier to understand speech in noisy
surroundings.
·
You will experience a fuller, more comfortable
sound picture.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is an abnormal
perception of a sound reported by patients that is unrelated to an external
source of stimulation. Tinnitus is a very common disorder. It may be
intermittent, constant or fluctuant, mild or severe, and may vary from a low
roaring sensation to a high pitched type of sound. It may or may not be
associated with a hearing loss. Anything, such as wax or a foreign body, in the external
ear that blocks background sounds will cause us to be more aware of sounds in
the head. Fluid, infection, or disease of the middle ear bones or ear drum can
also cause tinnitus. One of the most common causes of tinnitus is damage to the
microscopic endings of the hearing nerve in the inner ear. Advancing age is
generally accompanied by a certain amount of hearing nerve impairment, and
consequently tinnitus. Today, loud noise exposure is a very common cause of
tinnitus, and it often damages hearing as well. Some medications (for example, aspirin)
and other diseases of the inner ear (Meniere's syndrome) can cause tinnitus.
Tinnitus can in very rare situations be a symptom of such serious problems as
an aneurysm or a brain tumor (acoustic tumor). (medicinenet)
Contact
Our audiology services are
provided at our Dothan
office:
2800 Ross Clark Circle, S.W.
Dothan, AL 36301
Call our audiologist for questions
or to schedule an appointment at (334) 793-2211
Email:
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