Audiological Consultants of Atlanta/America

Commonly Asked Questions
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What is an audiologist?

An audiologist is a professional with a minimum of a masters degree, trained to provide services for the identification, assessment, prevention and non-medical treatment of persons who have hearing disorders.
Audiologists provide services to a broad spectrum of the population, ranging in age from newborn to geriatric and practice in a variety of settings including hospitals, medical offices, clinics, public schools, industry and private practice.

What do audiologists do?

Audiologists perform services to the public that may include:

Education in the anatomy and physiology of the ear.
Performance and explanation of diagnostic hearing evaluations .
Administration and interpretation of tests to assist physicians in the diagnosis of vestibular (balance) problems and/or to rule out retrocochlear lesions (such as acoustic tumors).
Administration of hearing conservation and ear protection programs for industrial, occupational or recreational purposes.
Evaluation, fitting and dispensing of hearing aids and assistive listening devices .

The audiologist is the only professional with the education, training and skills to provide all of the comprehensive services listed above.

How many people have hearing loss?

Approximately 28 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss.

How many people use hearing aids?

Of the 28 million Americans with hearing loss,
approximately 5.8 million use hearing aids.

What are the types of hearing loss and their respective treatments?

Conductive loss - often temporary, can be treated with medical intervention. It usually involves the structures of the outer ear, the ear canal and/or the middle ear system (such as the ear drum or the tiny ear bones) .
Sensorineural loss - often permanent, termed "nerve deafness", and usually involves either the sensory organ itself (the cochlea) or the auditory nerve system. Hearing aids , assistive listening devices , lip reading and aural rehabilitation are the recommended non-medical treatments.
Mixed loss - hearing loss composed of both conductive and sensorineural components.

What are possible causes of sensorineural hearing loss?

Noise exposure
Presbycusis (normal aging)
Genetics
Viral infection
Ototoxic drugs
Physical trauma

What are some signs of hearing loss?

Asking people to repeat themselves.
Denying a hearing loss exists while others are aware of the problem.
Misunderstanding certain words in conversation, especially female and children's voices.
Withdrawing from social situations because of an inability to communicate.
Turning the TV louder than what is comfortable for others.
Feeling fatigue and stress at the end of the day from having to rely on visual cues.
Experiencing tinnitus (ear or head noises) which is a commonly associated symptom of hearing loss.

Are family members and friends affected by someone with hearing loss?

YES! Everyone can be affected.
It is a team effort both to deal with the reality of hearing loss
and to have realistic expectations for rehabilitation.

I can hear but I don't understand. WHY?

Most hearing loss is first noticed as a loss of sensitivity for high-frequency sounds.
Low-frequency, vowel information, which is responsible for the loudness of speech is generally less affected initially than high frequency consonant information, which is responsible for the clarity of speech.
Therefore, with a high frequency hearing loss, we can hear (loudness ) but often can not understand (clarity).

Can "nerve" deafness or sensorineural hearing loss
be helped with the use of hearing aids?

YES! Most people who have varying degrees of sensorineural
hearing loss do benefit greatly from the use of hearing aids.

Has there been any real improvement in hearing aid technology?

YES! The introduction of
digital technology
has provided many people with significant benefits.

Should I have to wear TWO hearing aids?

YES! When we begin to lose our hearing, we generally lose it in both ears at the same rate. The research supports the fact that binaural (both ears) amplification provides significantly better speech understanding in noise, enhanced directionality and a true balanced sensation. The old phrase applies here as well: "if you don't use it you'll lose it." We have found that without sound stimulation from the use of a hearing aid, auditory deprivation occurs which means that the clarity or discrimination that you may now have for speech will diminish over time. Click here for more information about the benefits of wearing two hearing aids.

When do I purchase new hearing aids?

When new technology proves beneficial.
When repeated repairs are required for the current system.
When hearing loss progresses beyond the help of the current system.

How do I prevent further damage to my hearing?

Wear ear and hearing protection when necessary.
Have periodic audiological evaluations to monitor existing hearing loss.

How do I clean inside my ears?

PLEASE DON'T PUT ANYTHING IN YOUR EARS
SMALLER THAN YOUR ELBOW!
If cerumen (wax) removal is necessary, an audiologist
or physician is trained and qualified to perform this procedure.

Do I need to see a physician first?

The audiologist is the professional of choice for services for non-medical hearing health care. An audiologist is a licensed, certified specialist with a minimum of a masters degree or clinical doctorate in audiology trained to identify, assess, prevent and treat non-medical hearing disorders.
It is not necessary to see a physician first.
If a medical need exists, our audiology staff will make the appropriate referral.

How much do hearing aids cost?

The prices of hearing aids depend upon their size or style and the technology inside the aids.
Hearing aids are available in 4 basic sizes/styles (from largest to smallest):

Behind-the-ear (BTE)
Full shell in-the-ear (ITE)
In-the-canal (ITC)
Completely in-the-canal (CIC)

Each size/style of aid is available in three levels or tiers of hearing aid technology :

100% digital ($1,400 to $ 3,300 each)
Programmable analog ($1,250 to $1850 each)
Traditional analog ($1050 to $1,550 each)

Do insurance companies cover the cost of the services or hearing aids?

Some insurance companies will pay for hearing evaluations with a medical referral but generally DO NOT pay for hearing aids. Some managed care companies are providing an allowance for their recipients for hearing aid benefits.

Do these new hearing aids require batteries?
How long do batteries last and how much do they cost?

All hearing aids require batteries. Most batteries will last approximately 1 week and cost approximately $1.00 per battery.

Do you represent only one hearing aid technology or hearing aid company?

No! ACAis an independent company that represents no single manufacturer. We are committed to sharing each and every technology with our patients. We strongly believe in advanced technology (100% digital) hearing aids and have found it to be extremely beneficial to our patients. We are proud to offer each patient a wide variety of products and technologies. We are able to inform you about every brand and product available today.

How can I try hearing aids without knowing the benefit?

We offer all our patients the opportunity for a complimentary consultation and demonstration of new technology. Once a product is delivered, we offer a 30-day trial period to ensure patient satisfaction.

What is the first step and how do I get started?

The first step is making an appointment for a complete audiological evaluation . An otoscopic exam is performed and a product demonstration is offered. Recommendations are made for amplification and earmold impressions of your ears are taken. The hearing aids are ordered and an appointment for a hearing aid evaluation is made for about two weeks after the initial audiological evaluation for the fitting. Once evaluated and fit with hearing aids, verification procedures are performed to ensure proper fitting.

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