Hearing Aids:

Greenwood ENT offers a full range of hearing aids at very competitive prices. Follow-up visits which may be necessary to adjust the aid, answer questions or provide other assistance are included throughout the warranty period. Cleaning and tube changes are preformed at no charge as a courtesy to our patients for as long as they have the hearing aids. 

Compare our prices before purchasing elsewhere or over the Internet. We generally are able to save you money and offer increased service at the same time. All hearing aid fittings are performed by licensed audiologists who hold Doctoral or Master's degrees.

Greenwood ENT offers a comprehensive hearing aid dispensing program featuring all styles of instruments and a full range of technology including the latest digital instruments. Products from numerous manufacturers are dispensed to ensure that each patient receives the best possible hearing aid for his individual communication needs.

There are numerous types of hearing aids on the market. The audiologist is trained to help each patient in selecting the most appropriate unit. In addition to having a certain type and amount of hearing loss, each person has unique communication needs. Hearing aids need to do more than fit the ear; the user's entire life-style should be considered when selecting a hearing aid.

The cost of a hearing aid can vary considerably depending on the size/style and on the type of technology contained in the aid. As a general rule, fully digital hearing aids are more expensive than non-computerized models. Our prices are highly competitive and include follow up visits for adjustment, cleaning, or other related services.

Greenwood ENT offers a very liberal trial policy on hearing aids. All hearing aids have a thirty day trial period. If the aid is returned during the trial period, all but $75.00 of the purchase price is refunded. This gives the patient an opportunity to use the hearing aid for a month in their day-to-day communication situations to assess its performance and benefits. We feel that this is the best way for our patients to find out how they will adjust to a hearing aid.

You may be a candidate for a hearing aid if you:

 THE FIVE MOST OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS OF AN AUDIOLOGIST

1.     What is an audiologist? 

An audiologist evaluates hearing and offers rehabilitation services to individuals with hearing loss. Rehabilitation services may include fitting of amplification (hearing aids), assistive devices, and therapy. Audiologists also do special testing such as central auditory processing testing and balance testing (ENG).

 2.      Who can have a hearing test?

Anyone can have his hearing tested. Even newborn babies can be evaluated accurately by using one of two test procedures. Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) measures emissions of sound energy from the nerve fibers in the inner ear through a soft rubber probe placed in the ear canal. Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) measures activity from the auditory nerve through flat disk electrodes taped to the forehead and ears. 

3.      How does an ear infection affect hearing?

Fluid will build up behind the eardrum when the Eustachian tube, the airway between the middle ear and the throat does not function properly. The role of the Eustachian tube is to ventilate the middle ear space. When this does not occur, pressure builds up behind the eardrum. This will eventually cause the space behind the eardrum to fill up with fluid. This will result in decreased hearing. Sound cannot travel through fluid and the eardrum cannot move normally with fluid behind it. Repeated episodes of otitis media during infancy and early childhood can result in auditory deprivation during the most important time of life for language development. Children who experience mild hearing loss due to fluid in the ears are at risk for delayed speech and language development.

4.      What types of hearing aids are there?

There are many different styles and sizes for hearing aids. Hearing aids range in size from very small completely-in-the-canal instruments to larger behind-the-ear models. In addition, the electronics in hearing aids can vary from non-computerized units to fully digital instruments. The type of electronics determines the sound processing capability and features that the aid offers.

5.      Are there people who do not benefit from hearing aids?

Some individuals with limited residual hearing receive only marginal benefit from hearing aids. Amplification may result in sound awareness but little or no speech understanding. If the best possible hearing aid provides less than 40% speech understanding, the patient may be a candidate for a cochlear implant, a device that is surgically inserted into the inner ear.

Privacy Notice of: Greenwood ENT, Laurens ENT, Abbeville ENT, and The Hearing and Balance Centers of Greenwood ENT

Your information is confidential.

Your information is important and confidential. Our ethics and policies require that your information be held in strict confidence. 

We protect your information.

We maintain protocols to ensure the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We have physician security in our building, passwords and virus/firewall protection of our computerized databases and compliance audits to ensure staff compliance. Within our practice your information is limited to only those who need it to perform their jobs in service to you.

Copyright � 2001 Greenwood Ear, Nose & Throat
Last modified: September 22, 2004