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(352) 271-5373
CALL TODAY!
(352) 271-5373
Accent provides the full spectrum of hearing health services and this approach has become absolutely imperative with today’s technology. In medicine, as with most professions, more sub-specialization is required to be fully knowledgeable in a field. In the 1960’s and 1970’s you might have seen an EENT (Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat). Otology and Audiology is a prime example of a specialty that has become sufficiently complex to require some ENT doctors focus their entire career on the ear.
To assess a patient’s hearing, Accent will typically perform a comprehensive hearing evaluation. This is necessary to determine whether the patient has diminished hearing and if so what type of loss is occurring. The patient’s test result will be interpreted by a Doctor of Audiology and a physician. Depending on these results, we will provide the patient with options and recommendations for treatment.
If a surgical option is chosen, the patient will follow-up with our board-certified Otologist, but more likely the patient will follow-up with one of our board certified audiologists. The doctor will spend as much time as needed to help the patient make the best decision concerning their hearing health options. Patients may choose to only use an assistive listening device to help hear and understand the television better or they may choose to improve all aspects of their life and buy a premium digital hearing aid (A premium digital hearing aid is a miniaturized sound system with graphic equalizer that discriminates between music, voice and extraneous noise to provide the clearest most natural hearing possible.)
Care is provided at our modern, pleasant facility in Gainesville, Florida. All surgical procedures are performed in our state-of-the-art accredited operating room or at an affiliated hospital or surgery center in Gainesville.
↑ Back to topWe offer a wide selection of state-of-the-art digital hearing aids, from a variety of manufacturers. We will work with you to find the best solution for your hearing concerns, budget and lifestyle needs.
↑ Back to topHearing Aid Evaluations consist of a brief review of medical history, examination of the outer and middle ear and a comprehensive hearing evaluation. If an aidable hearing loss is diagnosed, a review of appropriate treatment options is discussed including hearing aid styles and appropriate technology given your individual listening needs. No physician referral is needed; however, medical clearance for a hearing aid is recommended. Our close interaction with the Otolaryngologists at Accent Physicians Specialists provides you with the opportunity to consult with a medical doctor if you so desire.
↑ Back to topIf hearing aids are ordered you will be scheduled for a hearing aid orientation. This visit includes the actual fitting, as well as instruction in the proper operation and maintenance of the hearing aids, accessories and batteries.
↑ Back to topReal Ear Verification is a term used for measurements of hearing aid performance done directly in the patient’s ear canal. Sounds are presented through a loudspeaker situated directly in front of the patient. A sensitive probe microphone is place in the person’s ear canal to measure what the hearing aid is producing at the level of the eardrum.
Real Ear Verification is an important component of the hearing aid fitting process! Much like a finger print, the size and shape of each ear is different and unique to the individual. In the absence of Real Ear Measurements, hearing aids are fit using average data which can lead to over or under amplification of the hearing instrument. Having a precise measurement of what the hearing aid is producing in the patient’s ear leads to a more accurate first fitting and less return visits for subjective “fine tuning” of the hearing aids.
↑ Back to topHearing aids can be cleaned and checked at any time. No appointment is usually necessary unless adjustments to the hearing aids, such as programming changes or device modifications, are requested.
↑ Back to topExtended warranties can be purchased through the office from the hearing aid manufacturer.
↑ Back to topAll hearing aids dispensed by Audiology by Accent come with a minimum of a 1 year repair warranty. We can have your hearing aid repaired quickly, and at a reasonable cost for out-of-warranty repairs.
↑ Back to topWe clean and check your hearing aids, replace components such as tubing, battery doors, wax guards, ear hooks, filters, screens and other items. When a hearing aid cannot be repaired in the office, we will send it to the manufacturer for you and, whenever possible, provide you a loaner hearing aid while yours is being repaired. All manufacturer repairs come with at least a six month warranty.
↑ Back to topA comprehensive audiometric evaluation consists of Pure-tone audiometry and Speech audiometry. During pure tone audiometry, earphones are used to present different tones at various frequencies (pitches). This will determine the faintest tones that the patient can hear and provide a general idea of the type and degree of the persons hearing loss. The second portion of the evaluation, Speech audiometry, consists of the Speech Reception Threshold (SRT) and Word Recognition (WR) tests. The Speech Reception Threshold reveals how loud spoken two-syllable words have to be before the patient can just begin to repeat them back correctly. Word Recognition testing reveals what percentage of spoken one-syllable words can be repeated correctly when the words are presented in quiet at a comfortable volume for the listener.
↑ Back to topMany patients with hearing loss report little or no communication difficulty in quiet situations but really struggle to understand conversation in noisy atmospheres or when there are multiple people talking. As the standard audiometric evaluation is performed in complete quiet, this test cannot fully address their concerns. In these situations, Audiology by Accent can perform specialized testing to reveal how a person performs in background noise. The results of this test can assist the audiologist in the selection of appropriate amplification and can be used to confirm a patient’s improved communication ability with hearing aids.
↑ Back to topAssists in determining the condition of the outer and middle ears, revealing tumors, fluid, impacted earwax, perforated eardrums, scarring and/or lack of contact between the conduction bones of the middle ear. It is also helpful in ruling out otitis media and other middle ear pathologies.
↑ Back to topEvaluates involuntary muscle contractions that occur in the middle ear in response to high-intensity sounds. These normally occur only at relatively high intensities; activation for quieter sounds can indicate ear dysfunction. Absence of acoustic reflex can indicate hearing loss.
↑ Back to topMost commonly reviews conditions in which someone reports fullness in the ears that clears when they swallow or “pop” them. Often this is done through a review of patient history, but tympanomentry or direct observation of the eardrum may also be used.
↑ Back to topThis test is very useful in obtaining objective hearing information on very young babies and children and adults that cannot respond on their own. Sounds are played through a small earphone and responses from outer hair cells are measured to determine hearing levels.
↑ Back to topThe ABR is an objective measure of the integrity of the auditory pathway including the hearing nerve and brainstem. It can be used to identify pathologies of the hearing nerve as well as objective measure of a persons hearing abilities. It is also used in the evaluation of tinnitus (ringing in the ears). During this test, sounds are presented in each ear and the brainstem’s response is recorded by sophisticated, computerized equipment through electrodes taped to the patient’s head.
↑ Back to topThe ECochG test is typically used to diagnose or rule out Ménière’s disease. The set-up for testing is similar to other electrophysiological tests like the ABR, except for gold foil-wrapped earphones which are used as electrodes inside of your ear canal. The procedure requires the patient to simply lie down with the lights off in a relaxed state while sounds are presented to their ears.
↑ Back to topThe ENG/VNG test is used to determine where in the vestibular (balance) system the cause of balance problems, such as vertigo, are located. Either goggles fitted with a camera or electrodes are used to track eye movements called “nystagmus” throughout a comprehensive battery of tests. These particular eye movements can occur with visual stimuli, body positions, and peripheral stimuli. These recording are then used to determine whether balance problems are originating in the peripheral or central portion of the vestibular system.
↑ Back to topEvaluates whether the saccule and the inferior vestibular nerve are intact and functioning normally. This test is used primarily used as a tool in vestibular (balance) assessment and is typically used in conjunction with ENG/VNG testing. Earphones are placed inside the ear canal and small electrodes are taped to the neck and forehead. When sound is transmitted through the earphones, the electrodes record the response in the neck muscles.
↑ Back to topYour audiologist will construct an individualized tinnitus evaluation and management plan to suite your specific needs. Evaluation may consists of specialized pitch and loudness matching and loudness discomfort levels may also be obtained. To evaluate the origin of the tinnitus Otoacoustic Emissions, ECochG, and ABR testing may often used.
↑ Back to topCochlear implants are electronic devices that are surgically implanted beneath the skin and into the inner ear. They can allow individuals with profound or complete deafness to hear common sounds such as a telephone, doorbell, car horn and spoken voice. In almost all cases, understanding of speech is possible and lip reading is improved dramatically. Audiologists program these devices to maximize speech understanding and environmental awareness.
Read more about Cochlear Implants.
↑ Back to topThe BAHA is a device that is surgically implanted into the skull behind the ear which delivers sound directly to the hearing organ (the cochlea) through the bone. This particular hearing instrument is typically prescribed for persons with large conductive hearing losses, but with normal or near-normal sensory hearing, as a result of damage from disease or surgery to the middle ear. It can also be used in cases of unilateral deafness (one dead ear). The BAHA device offers improvement in both speech intelligibility and sound directionality in successful candidates.
Read more about Bone Anchored Hearing Aids.
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If you're having hearing difficulties, schedule a hearing evaluation or hearing loss test with Accent Audiology today. Our Gainesville audiologists can help you address concerns like prevention of hearing loss, hearing damage, sudden hearing loss, causes of hearing loss and offer treatment options such as cochlear implant surgery, hearing aids and more.
At Accent Audiology in Gainesville, Florida, our audiologists offer audiological evaluations, consultations and hearing exams for patients throughout North Central Florida including Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, and Tallahassee.
Accent Audiology offers top of the line custom designed hearing aid devices that fit comfortably in your ears. Our audiologists and hearing specialists can guide you to the best types of hearing aids for your situation.
For severe hearing loss, cochlear implant surgery is recommended since hearing aids are of little help. Cochlear implants are electronic hearing devices specially designed to help adults or children with severe hearing loss or deafness. To find out more about cochlear implants, please contact north Florida audiologists at Accent Audiology today.
Accent Physician Specialists: Florida Physician Specialists
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