An audiologist specializes in the diagnosis of hearing loss. He/she is university trained and required to be licensed by the state. Battle Creek Hearing Services has two experienced audiologists who have successfully fit thousands of people with hearing instruments and will be happy to help you with your hearing needs.

Noise exposure, heredity, certain chemotherapy and radiation treatments, heavy-duty antibiotics, head trauma, natural aging, wax, ear infections, and viral infections may cause hearing loss. Symptoms of hearing loss include: listening to the TV or radio at a loud volume, family or friends complaining that you have a hearing problem, asking for repetition, difficulty understanding speech in background noise or if speech sounds mumbled, speech delay or language problems in children, inattentiveness or social withdrawal, ringing in the ears, difficulty hearing women and children's voices, or difficulty hearing "low voices".

Tinnitus is the ringing in your ears. Some people also hear hissing, roaring, whistling, chirping, or clicking. It is usually an indication of some damage to your auditory system, probably caused by noise. It can be constant or intermittent and on one side or in the middle of your head. There are methods we can suggest to help you cope with tinnitus. Hearing aids often help by bringing more sound to the brain and distracting attention from the ringing.

Studies show that if your hearing is not properly stimulated, it can degenerate faster over time. We recommend having your hearing tested periodically to monitor any problems.

Hearing aids vary in price. We have a wide selection available at affordable prices. You should consider the excellent service we provide when deciding where to purchase your hearing aids. We can also help you to obtain financial assistance through the Michigan Department of Career Development if you are employed.

Medicare usually covers a partial cost of the hearing test but does not cover hearing aids. A doctor's referral is needed for us to bill Medicare. A quick phone call to your physician's office with a request to fax us an order for the hearing test is all that is needed. Medicaid covers both hearing tests and hearing aids. We participate with Blue Cross and most other insurances and are happy to bill them for the cost of your evaluation. Very few insurances do cover hearing aids. We suggest calling the 800 number on the back of your insurance card to find out what your hearing benefits are.

Each person is different but people who have hearing loss in both ears will benefit from binaural amplification. Benefits may include: better understanding of speech in noise, equal hearing from both sides, better sound localization, and more natural sound quality.

It takes time to adjust to hearing sounds again but you should notice the benefits in only a week or two. Your new amplification is thoroughly explained to you at a hearing aid orientation and post-fit appointment. We offer a 30-day free trial on all our hearing aids. If you are dissatisfied for any reason during that time, you can return them for a full refund.