Audiology and Hearing Aids

Hearing is an essential part of daily living, and when hearing loss or ear pain occurs, it can dramatically impact your quality of life. Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa Audiology is dedicated to providing audiological and aural rehabilitative services for infants, children, and adults to diagnose, monitor and treat ear disease and hearing loss.

We also offer the area's most comprehensive and technologically-advanced selection of hearing aids. From more traditional models to ones that you can update with the swipe of a smartphone, we've got what will meet your needs.

Services for Kids & Young Adults

• Newborn hearing screening—Infants typically receive a hearing screening prior to leaving the hospital. We often see infants who do not pass this hearing screening for follow up diagnostic testing. Additional testing helps to determine if there is permanent hearing impairment.
• Identifying hearing loss in toddlers and children—Hearing evaluations can be done on children of all ages. Testing can include otoacoustic emissions (OAE), visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA), conditioned play audiometry (CPA), and traditional audiometry.
• Children’s hearing aid fitting/management of hearing loss in infants and children—Our audiologists work to properly and comfortably fit hearing aids for children newly identified with hearing loss.

The Resound hearing aid technology featured in these videos can provide up to 30% more speech intelligibility than other premium hearing aids, plus the industry's most accurate noise reduction with no compromise in speech recognition. 

Adult Services

• Hearing assessment to determine type and severity of hearing loss.
• Hearing aid evaluations, fittings, adjustments, and repair of various types of hearing aids and hearing devices.
  
• Tinnitus management, including tinnitus maskers via hearing aids.
• Cochlear implant evaluation.
• Electronystagmography (ENG)/videonystagmography (VNG) for balance system testing.
• Custom ear plugs / swim plugs.
• Noise protection.
• Baha® Osseointegrated Hearing Implant.
• Diagnostic testing.
• Hearing Test/Audiogram—determines hearing levels and establishes a baseline for diagnosis.
• Tympanogram—evaluates the eardrum to see if it is working properly.
• Otoacoustic Emissions—measures inner ear functions for limited response patients such as infants and special needs individuals.

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Hearing loss is often times more noticeable than a hearing aid. Choosing the hearing aid that is appropriate for your hearing loss is very important and should be a collaborative effort between you and your audiologist.

Types of Hearing Aids

• In-the-Canal (ITC)
• Behind-the-Ear (BTE)
• In-the-Ear (ITE)
• Receiver-in-the-Ear (RIE)
• Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC)

Hearing Aid Brands

• Resound—a technology leader in the hearing aid industry. Resound continues to develop innovative solutions to help people rediscover hearing.
• LiNX—the world’s smartest hearing aid. Connect through your iPhone®, iPad®, and iPod touch®.
• Phonak—an innovative force in hearing acoustics. They offer creative solutions to overcome technological limitations.
• Unitron—a global company that designs and manufactures hearing instruments.

Baha® Osseointegrated Hearing Implant

How the Cochlear Baha System Works

• Sound waves are received by the Baha sound processor and changed into vibrations
• Vibrations from the sound processor are transferred from the abutment to the titanium implant.
• The implant uses direct bone conduction to transfer the sound vibrations to the functioning cochlea.

You may be a candidate for a Baha system if you answer yes to any of these questions:

• Do you battle feedback or distorted sound quality?
• Do you have draining ears?
• Do you have malformed ears or ear canals?
• Do you suffer from sore or irritated ears do to your ear molds?
• Can you only hear from one side?

Custom Water / Noise Protection

• Westone—offers custom earplugs and earpieces, plus many other products to protect and boost hearing.

Recommended Websites

• Hearing Loss Association of America
• American Tinnitus Association
• American Speech Language Hearing Association

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a hearing test?
A hearing test is a painless, non-invasive procedure that evaluates your hearing sensitivity and is performed by using an audiometer, which determines the softest level at which you hear different frequencies. Over the course of the test the audiologist plots points on a graph that will explain your hearing in comparison to the normal range.

• Normal 0-20 *dB HL 
• Mild Loss 20-40 *dB HL 
• Mod Loss 40-60 *dB HL 
• Severe Loss 60-90 *dB HL 
• Profound Loss 90-110 *dB HL 

*Decibel hearing level

When is a hearing test needed?
Newborns are given a hearing test prior to first leaving the hospital, and children are given a hearing test before starting school and periodically as they grow older.

Both adults and children experiencing or exhibiting the following symptoms should make an appointment with a PCI audiologist to schedule a hearing test:

• Hearing Loss—sudden hearing loss, decline in hearing, hard to hear, failed tests such as Grant Wood, school, or newborn hospital screening
• Tinnitus—ringing in ears, buzzing, chirping, cricket sounds, ocean sounds, noise in the ears
• Vertigo—dizziness, unbalance, unsteady, light headedness, BPPV, disequilibrium
• Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD)—pressure, fullness, or echoing in ears
• Otitis Media—fluid in the ears, drainage, ear infections, tube evaluations
• Tympanic Membrane (TM)—hole in the ear drum, ruptured TM, perforation of ear drum
• Diseases of the Ear—Cholesteatoma, Otosclerosis, Labyrinthitis, Meniere’s Disease
• Ear Pain/ Ear Ache or Plugged Ear

What is an Audiologist?
Audiologists evaluate, diagnose, treat, and manage hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorders in newborns, children, and adults. They can prescribe and fit hearing aids and protective hearing devices, assist in cochlear implant programs, perform hearing tests and provide hearing rehabilitation training.

Can my hearing loss be helped?
In the past, hearing loss in one ear or high frequency loss could not be helped. Today we have so many advances in technology that we can fit just about any hearing loss.

Is hearing loss a sign of aging?
Not necessarily. About 20 percent of Americans, or 48 million people, report some degree of hearing loss. At age 65, one out of every three people has hearing loss.

Is it true that only those with serious hearing loss need hearing aids?
The need for amplification depends on your lifestyle, your need to improve your hearing and the degree of hearing loss.

Will hearing aids make me look older?
Today’s hearing aids have gotten much smaller and more modern looking. Younger patients even enjoy choosing from a variety of colors.

Can exposure to loud noise cause hearing loss?
Frequent or even one-time exposure to loud noises can lead to tinnitus and even cause permanent damage to the inner ear. Fortunately, you can prevent noise-induced hearing loss by mitigating your exposure to loud noise when possible, and by wearing earplugs and other protective devices recommended by your audiologist.

How can I relieve ear pain?
While ear pain and earaches sometimes go away on their own, other times they linger, causing major disruptions to your everyday life that can worsen if left untreated. Ear pain can also be a symptom of an underlying ear or hearing-related disease, which your audiologist or otolaryngologist can diagnose.

After determining the cause of your symptoms, your doctor can provide you with recommendations for treating pain and discomfort, including over-the-counter remedies like ibuprofen, antibiotics, and in some cases, ear tubes.

What Patient's Say

Debi's Hall: Hearing Loss & Hearing Aids with Angie Jenkins, CCC-A

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Outreach Clinic

•   Buchanan County Health Center
•   Community Memorial Hospital, Sumner
•   Crossing Rivers Health, Prairie du Chien
•   Eastern Iowa Sleep Center, Belle Plaine
•   Jones Regional Medical Center
•   PCI Specialty Care, North Liberty
•   Regional Medical Center
•   Virginia Gay Hospital

Specialty

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Provider

Tracy Alshouse, PA-C Vijay Aluri, MD, RhMSUS Amber Arthurs, ARNP, NP-C Heidi Barnhart, PA-C Aubrey Barton, PA-C Jennifer Botsford, ARNP, FNP-C Katie Braun, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C Michael Brooks, MD, FACP, FACR J. Renee Buchanan, MD, MA Rasa Buntinas, MD Rikka Burroughs, DNP, ARNP, AGPCNP-C, CUNP Carrie Campbell, ARNP, AGACNP-BC Kevin Carpenter, MD, FACS Kenneth Cearlock, MD Shereen Chang, MD Bogdan Cherascu, MD Peter Chimenti, MD, FAAOS Lisa Coester, MD, FAAOS Brandey Cordes, MS, FAAA Melissa Coulter, AGNP Ryan Dempewolf, MD, FACS Rodney Dempewolf, DPM Michelle Dole, DPM Christopher Donahue, PA-C Kevin Eck, MD, FAAOS Scott Ekroth, MD, FAAOS, FAOFAS Daniel Fabiano, MD, FAAOS Melissa Fagan, ARNP, FNP-BC William Fusselman, MD Tyrone Galbreath, DO, MHA Amy Ganske, ARNP, FNP-BC Scott Geisler, MD Melanie Giesler-Spellman, DO, FAOCO Justin Gilbert, MD Bradley Gordan, DO Lesley Haro, ARNP, FNP-C Kimberly Harris, ARNP, FNP-C David Hart, MD, FAAOS Jennifer Herting, PT, MPT Gregory Hill, MD, FAAOS Logan Hoxie, MD, FACS James Huber, DO Gregory Janda, MD Melissa Janssen, ARNP, FNP-BC Bharat Jenigiri, MD Angie Jenkins, MA, CCC-A David Jerkins, MD Robert Keating, MD, FACS Cheryl Koester, MA, CCC-A Jared Kray, DO Jeffrey Krivit, MD, FACS Meiying Kuo, MD, FACS, FASSH Cassandra Lange, MD, FAAOS Courtney Lansing, Au.D., CCC-A David Lawrence, MD, FACS James Levett, MD, FACS Ryan McBride, DPM Jill Miller, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C Steven Mindrup, MD Michael Moriarty, MD Cynthia Morrison, ARNP, FNP-C Sandeep Munjal, MD. FAAOS Ritu Munjal, MD, CCD Jeffrey Nassif, MD, FAAOS Jeffrey Nielsen, MD, FACS Clifford Novak, MD, FAAOS Andrew Nowell, MD, FACS Kerri Nowell, MD, FACS James Pape, MD, FAAOS Peter Pardubsky, MD, FAAOS, FASSH Thomas Paynter, MD. FAAOS Gina Perri, MD Andrew Peterson, MD, FAASM Fred Pilcher, MD, FAAOS Jennie Pint, MA, CCC/SLP Charles Pruchno, MD Megan Raddatz, ARNP, NP-C Melanie Ramsey, ARNP, FNP-BC Patti Recker, PA-C Paul Renz, MD, FACS Thomas Richardson, MD Jonathan Rippentrop, MD Thomas Rogers, DO Heidi Sandersfeld, PA-C Lori Schumann, ARNP, NP-C Harinder Singh, MD Robert Struthers, MD Erin Swailes, ARNP, FNP-C Kyle Switzer, DO Michael Telisak, MD, FACS Steven Wahle, MD, FACS Garry Weide, DO, FACOS Matthew White, MD, FAAOS Jennifer Wittman, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C

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