CHI Health Clinic Audiology - Omaha
Our Audiologists
What is an Audiologist?
Audiologists are health care professionals who provide patient-centered care in the prevention, identification, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment of hearing, balance, tinnitus, and other hearing disorders for people of all ages.
Should I see an Audiologist?
Consider the questions below to determine if you should see an audiologist:
- Do you have a problem hearing on the phone?
- Do you hear better in one ear than the other when on the phone?
- Do you have a hard time understanding the conversation when more than one person is talking at the same time?
- Do your friends and family tell you that you turn the TV volume up too high?
- Do you have to listen carefully to understand conversation?
- Do you have trouble hearing when it is noisy?
- Do you have trouble hearing in restaurants?
- Do you have dizziness, pain, or ringing in your ears?
- Do you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves?
- Do family members or coworkers say that you miss what they said?
- Do many people you talk to seem to mumble (or not speak clearly)?
- Do you respond inappropriately after misunderstanding what people say?
- Do you have trouble understanding women and children?
- Do people get upset because you don’t understand what they say?
Ear and Hearing Conditions
The ear is a complex organ that is divided into three different sections. It not only allows you to hear but helps with balance. At CHI Health Clinic Audiology, we help diagnose and treat hearing and balance disorders as well as other conditions affecting the ear.
Below is a list of some of the ear conditions we evaluate:
- Hearing Loss
- Balance Disorders/Vertigo
- Tinnitus
- Sudden Hearing Loss
- Ototoxic Monitoring
- Fluid/Recurrent Infections
- Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
- Ear Drum Perforations
- Disorders of Hearing Bones
- Congenital Deformities
- Cholesteatomas, Cysts and Tumors
- Ear Wax (Cerumen)
- Foreign Bodies
- Otitis Externa (swimmer’s ear)
Hearing Evaluations
Our Audiologists perform comprehensive hearing evaluations for both pediatric and adult patients. Hearing tests are often ordered during a patient’s visit with an ENT physician, or they may be scheduled directly with an Audiologist.
What to expect during your evaluation?
When you arrive for your audiology appointment, you will be asked to describe what areas of concern you have regarding your ears and hearing. We will also review your history to help determine if there is anything in your family, medical, and personal history that could impact your hearing ability. They will discuss the types of testing used to evaluate and diagnose the problem, which may be done that day or scheduled for a later appointment. At the time of the testing, the audiologist will review your test results, as well as any recommended follow up care needed.
What is a hearing test?
Hearing tests are painless and non-invasive and occur in a quiet, sound-treated room known as a hearing booth. You will be asked to wear headphones or soft earplugs with wires connected to an instrument called an audiometer that is used to conduct the test.
During this test, you will be asked to listen to tones at different pitches and volumes. The test measures the very softest sounds you can hear at each frequency tested.
The speech portion of the exam evaluates the softest speech sounds (threshold) you can hear and understand. You will then be asked to repeat back words that are presented at a level well above threshold to see how well you can understand them accurately.
What is immittance testing (tympanometry)?
If necessary, the audiologist may perform tympanometry and a test of your acoustic reflexes. For these tests, a soft plug that creates pressure changes and generates sounds will be placed in the ear. This will determine how well your eardrum is moving and will measure the reflexive responses of the middle ear muscles.
What to expect during your evaluation?
When you bring your child in for their audiology appointment, you will be asked to describe what areas of concern you have regarding the child’s hearing, speech and language or balance. We will also review your child’s medical and developmental history. They will discuss the types of testing used to evaluate and diagnose the problem, which may be done that day or scheduled for a later appointment. At the time of the testing, the audiologist will review your child’s testing results, as well as any recommended follow up care needed.
Newborn Hearing Screening
What happens if my baby doesn’t pass the hospital hearing screening? Not all babies pass the hearing screening the first time. Your baby will be screened again before leaving the hospital. If your baby does not pass the hospital hearing screenings, you will be referred to an audiologist for further evaluation. Typically, babies who fail the newborn hearing screen are evaluated in our office at two weeks gestational age.
Infant/Child Testing
Age appropriate testing, including Visual Reinforcement Audiometry, Condition Play Audiometry, and Computer-Based Condition Play Audiometry are all utilized at CHI Audiology to fully assess your child’s hearing ability. Otoacoustic Emission Testing and Auditory Brainstem Response Testing are also utilized when appropriate.