AHN Audiology Clinic

What we treat

We diagnose and manage a wide range of hearing and balance conditions, offering personalized care and treatment options to support your hearing health and quality of life.

Our audiology team offers a variety of services to help you protect, improve, and make the most of your hearing, including:

• Hearing evaluations. We offer comprehensive testing to understand your hearing concerns and identify the type and severity of hearing loss.
• Hearing aids and assistive technology. Our hearing aid audiologists make personalized recommendations and fittings using the latest hearing aid technology from leading manufacturers, with options to match your lifestyle, communication needs, and hearing goals.
• Tinnitus care. We diagnose tinnitus and offer solutions, like sound therapy or hearing aids, to help reduce the impact of ringing, buzzing, or other sounds in your ears.
• Custom ear protection and swim molds. We provide individually fitted products designed to protect your ears at work, during recreation, or in the water.

We take a personalized approach to hearing care, working closely with you to find solutions that fit your daily life, hearing needs, and long-term goals.

Meet our providers

Our team of expert audiologists and hearing aid specialists is dedicated to providing personalized care.

Appointments

From your first evaluation to ongoing hearing aid care, the AHN Audiology Clinic offers several different types of appointments.

Hearing test appointments

If you're a new patient, your first appointment will be with an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physician for a medical evaluation. During this visit, an audiologist will perform a comprehensive hearing test.

Note: Please bring any previous test results or medical records with you to your first appointment. If you aren't able to get your medical records, we can help you with that process.

Hearing aid evaluations

If testing shows that hearing aids may be right for you, you can schedule an appointment with one of our hearing aid audiologists to talk about your hearing needs, lifestyle, and goals. Together, you'll review hearing aid styles, technology options, insurance coverage, and costs to find the best solution for you. If you order hearing aids at this appointment, you'll come back for a fitting appointment.

Hearing aid fittings

Once your hearing aids arrive, your audiologist will fit and program them, make sure they're working properly, and show you how to use and care for them. You'll also come back for at least one follow-up visit to make sure you're getting the most from your hearing aids.

Note: All hearing aids can be returned within 30 days of delivery for a full refund, minus the cost of the service fee.

Follow-up visits

Your audiologist will tell you how often to come back for follow-up appointments, which include cleaning and checking your hearing aids, addressing any issues or concerns, and answering any questions. Most patients are seen twice a year for routine hearing aid check appointments.

Locations

Frequently asked questions

What is an audiologist?

Audiologists are licensed healthcare professionals specializing in diagnosing, treating, and managing hearing loss, balance disorders, and tinnitus. They hold a Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree from an accredited program.

What are some common causes of hearing loss?

Common causes of hearing loss include:

• Aging (presbycusis). Your inner ear naturally degrades over time as you get older.
• Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Loud, consistent sounds like machinery and music, or a single, loud blast like fireworks or a gunshot, can damage hair cells in your inner ear.
• Ototoxic medications. Certain antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and high doses of aspirin can damage the ear.
• Physical blockages or trauma. Earwax, foreign objects, ear infections, or head trauma can affect the ear's structure.
• Genetics or heredity. Hearing loss is often passed down through families.

What are the different types of hearing loss?

• Sensorineural: Damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve, which is often permanent.
• Conductive: Blockage or damage in the outer/middle ear that prevents sound from entering (e.g., earwax, ear infections, ruptured eardrum).
• Mixed: A combination of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

What are some common symptoms of hearing loss?

• Speech and/or other sounds are muffled.
• Difficulty understanding speech, especially in background noise or crowds.
• Asking people to repeat themselves or talk more slowly or louder.
• Turning up the volume on the TV or phone.
• Avoiding social situations.

How do I prevent hearing loss?

Many causes of hearing loss are not preventable, such as age-related hearing loss, genetic hearing loss, or hearing loss secondary to another medical condition. Noise-induced hearing loss can be prevented by wearing hearing protection when you're around loud noises.

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the term used for the experience of ringing, hissing, buzzing, pulsing, or another noise in one or both ears, when no external sound is present. This is usually caused by an underlying condition such as age-related hearing loss, an ear injury, medications, or a problem with the circulatory system.

How is tinnitus treated?

Tinnitus can be treated by sound therapy, which includes noise machines such as white noise, nature sounds, or ambient sounds that distract your brain and reduce your symptoms. Hearing aids are also a treatment for tinnitus, with most patients perceiving a significant reduction in the perception of their tinnitus while wearing them. Cognitive behavioral therapy is another evidence-based treatment, often recommended for more severe cases of tinnitus.

What is the difference between a prescription hearing aid, an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid, and an amplifier?

• Prescription hearing aids: Professional-grade hearing devices that can only be given to patients by an audiologist or hearing aid specialist. They are programmed to a patient's individual hearing loss.
• OTC hearing aids: FDA-regulated devices for mild-to-moderate hearing loss and are self-adjusted by the user.
• Amplifiers (also known as PSAPs): Non-medical devices designed to simply increase volume and are not designated for hearing loss.

Refer your patient for audiology care at AHN

To refer your patient to an AHN audiologist, please contact our department directly at 412-442-2573.

Non-AHN providers can submit an online patient referral or call (844) MD-REFER 844-637-3337. 

If you have any questions about independent physician referral, see our frequently asked questions.