Services We Provide
Our goal is to make sure that we’re the only place you need to visit for all your hearing and balance healthcare needs. Southwest Florida Center for Hearing and Balance is equipped with state of the art, calibrated equipment to ensure that your evaluation is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. All complete audiological evaluations are performed in a controlled environment that has passed rigorous national standards. We provide a full range of hearing and balance assessments including traditional hearing evaluations, tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, speech in noise testing, high frequency audiometry, videonystagmography (VNG), auditory brainstem response (ABR), vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) and treatment for positional vertigo. We also perform evaluations to determine cochlear implant candidacy.
Rehabilitation
Once a hearing loss has been diagnosed a plan for rehabilitation must be prepared. This may include being fitted with hearing aids or a recommendation for cochlear implantation. Dr. Mercer and Dr. Major will provide a comprehensive plan for helping patients hear their best based on individual lifestyles and needs. If hearing aids are recommended, a full range of digital hearing instrument technology will be offered. With today’s technology this may include almost invisible completely in the canal technology, receiver in the canal technology (RIC) or even wireless technology that can communicate with external audio sources. If a patient qualifies for a cochlear implant the doctors will refer to a surgeon and connect them to the cochlear implant manufacturers to familiarize themselves with each. Once this information is gathered they will meet with the Dr. Mercer or Major to make a final decision and proceed toward surgery.
Every patient who decides to proceed with hearing aids or cochlear implantation will be afforded individual time learning how to use and care for his or her new devices. Dr. Mercer and Dr. Major will spend as much time as a patient needs to help them to understand their hearing loss, their hearing devices and the impact of hearing loss on oneself and one’s relationships. Patients and significant others will learn about appropriate expectations with his or her own hearing loss and hearing aids as well as be coached on better communication strategies when necessary. Each patient will have the opportunity to engage in a self-guided program to learn more about hearing and hearing aids or cochlear implant processors.
We Provide the Following:
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Comprehensive Audiological Evaluation
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Middle Ear Function Testing
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Balance & Vestibular Testing
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Tinnitus Evaluation & Treatment
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Cochlear Implant Candidacy Evaluation
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Cochlear Implant Testing and Mapping
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Aural Rehabilitation
Hearing Aid Services
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Hearing Aid Dispensing
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Hearing Aid Cleanings
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Hearing Aid Fittings
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Hearing Aid Service and Repair for Phonak, ReSound, Oticon and Signia Hearing Aids
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Verification Testing (including live voice speech mapping and aided sound field testing)
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Hearing Aid Loaner Program
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Hearing Aid Batteries and Supplies
Custom Earmolds
Custom earmolds are typically used for one of two reasons: to keep things out (noise and water are the two big issues) or to keep things in (amplified sound from a hearing aid). The shape of your outer ear and ear canal are unique to you. To obtain the maximum benefit from a custom earmold you need the best fit possible which is exactly why we offer custom earmolds in Fort Myers, FL.
Some examples of custom earmolds are:
- iPod Earbuds
- Musician’s Earplugs
- Swim Molds (for swimming or showering)
- Noise Protection
- Hunter’s Earplugs for Shooting
Assistive Listening Devices
Several types of assistive listening devices are available to improve sound transmission for people with hearing loss. Some are designed for large facilities such as classrooms, theaters, places of worship, and airports. Other types are intended for personal use in small settings and for one-on-one conversations.
Cochlear Implants
Cochlear hearing implants have helped over 450,000 people hear. No matter how many people we help, no matter how big that number gets, we still get choked up every time we see the priceless expression of someone being able to hear, either again or for the very first time.