"Our patient care is individualized for each patient, and our goal is to improve your quality of life through better hearing"!

Visit our "Hearing Aid & Hearing Implant Center"
at
The Ear Center

   Amy Myers Daughton, M.Ed., CCC-A                                Stephanie Nance, M.A., CCC-A  
                        Audiologist                                                                      Audiologist                                    
                                                                     
 

State of the Art Audiology

    At the "Hearing Aid and Implant Center" at The Ear Center, we practice state-of-the-art audiology, including selling, fitting,
and repairing of analog and digital hearing aids.  In addition to routine audiometric testing, we perform tympanometry, acoustic
reflexes (ART's) and acoustic reflex decays, perilymph fistula testing, distortion product otoacoustic emission testing (DPOAE's)
including spontaneous emission testing, auditory brain stem response testing (ABR or BAER), auditory steady state response
testing (ASSR), electronystagmography (ENG's), Central Auditory Processing testing (AP), cochlear implant fitting and mapping,
BAHA fitting and adjustments, Esteem™ Totally Implantable Device programming (investigational device), and other sophisticated
audiometric testing.  

    Having your hearing evaluated by a professional audiologist is the first step in determining if hearing aids are appropriate for you. 
If hearing aids are recommended, please consider these factors:

    1. Communication Needs:  Living with a hearing loss not only affects you, but it affects your family, friends, and co-workers.

    2. Patient Motivation: Patient motivation is the number one key to patient satisfaction.

    3. Realistic Expectations: Hearing aids will improve most of your listening situations.  However, hearing aids cannot solve
every hearing problem or restore normal hearing.

    4. And Remember.....Hearing loss is more noticeable than hearing aids!

Hearing Aids

    We specialize in hearing aid sales and service for many brands.  We fit, program, and support digital hearing aids, especially
those manufactured by Phonak and Widex.

     Our Hearing Aid & Implant Center sells hearing aid batteries and accessories.

     We perform custom ear molds for hearing aids, noise protection, swimming, and musician plugs.

     We offer a 30 day hearing aid evaluation period!!  

     Click here to visit our Digital Hearing Aid page.       

On-site Hearing Aid Lab for Repairs

    In our on-site hearing aid lab, we evaluate hearing aids and are able to perform common hearing aid repairs.  We also provide ear mold services for hearing aids and devices and perform custom ear plug services for hearing aids,  noise protection, swimming, and musicians.

Cochlear Implants

    Since 1989, we have been providing cochlear implant evaluations, hardware fitting and repairs, and cochlear implant mapping for
cochlear implants made by Advanced Bionics Corporation (ABC) and Cochlear Americas (Cochlear).  We do not provide hardware,
support services, or programming for the Med-El device. 

    Cochlear implants are currently performed for adult and pediatric patients who have severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss
in both ears and are unable to benefit from conventional hearing aids or other implantable hearing devices. 

    For more information, see our section entitled "Cochlear Implants".

    If you have a question about candidacy for cochlear implants or would like to learn more, please contact us at (336) 273-9932.

    Click here to visit our Cochlear Implants page.

BAHA Osseointegrated Hearing Device

    Our audiologists specialize in fitting, adjusting, and maintaining the BAHA osteointegrated hearing device, including the Divino,
Compact, Classic, and Cordelle sound processors.

    The BAHA osseointegrated hearing device consists of a titanium fixture and abutment that is surgically implanted behind the ear into
the bone of the skull.  An external sound processor, containing  internal microphones and a battery, is attached to the titanium fixture. 

    The BAHA device has been fully approved by the FDA for implantation, on one or both sides, in patients older than 5 years of age. 
BAHA implants are performed in patients who: (1) have non-surgical conductive hearing loss, (2) have had mastoid surgery and cannot
be reconstructed surgically, (3) were born without and ear canal (congenital atresia, microtia, etc.), or (4) have single-sided deafness.  

    For more information concerning the BAHA device, please see our section entitled "BAHA Implants".

    If you have a question about candidacy for the BAHA device or would like to learn more, please contact us at (336) 273-9932.

    Click here to visit our BAHA page.

Esteem™ Totally Implantable Hearing Device (investigational device not approved by the FDA.  The Esteem™ has received its European CE mark and has been approved for implantation in Europe, Summer 2006.)

    We are currently one of the three leading implant teams in the United States participating in the Esteem™ Totally Implantable Hearing Device, II Clinical Trial, being sponsored by Envoy Medical Corporation, Minneapolis, MN.    We perform comprehensive preoperative and postoperative audiometric analysis to help determine candidacy and to monitor research participants postoperatively once they have received their Esteem™ implant. 

    As part of our ongoing clinical research activities, we provide initial "turn-on", initial "activation", and follow-up programming of the Esteem™  device. 

    Dr. Kraus is a  principal clinical investigator in the United States, has been instrumental in the development of the current Esteem™  surgical implantation technique, and has provided surgical training to both United States investigators as well as prominent ear surgeons in Germany (Krefeld, Magdeburg, Koblenz, Kassel, and Cologne), France, Italy, Belgium, England, Spain, Egypt, Dubai, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Brazil,
South Africa, and Israel.

    To date, Dr. Kraus has performed 43 Esteem™  implants on patients from around the U.S. and has served as an mentor for other
co-investigators.

    Please note: The Esteem™ Totally Implantable Middle Ear Device is an investigational device.  It has not been approved by the US FDA.  The device is under clinical investigation.  The Esteem™ system has been approved in Europe, July 2006, and has been granted a CE mark.

    For more information concerning the Esteem™ device, please see our section entitled "Esteem™ Implants".

    Click here to visit our Esteem™ device page.

    If you have a question about candidacy for the Esteem™ device or would like to learn more, please contact us at (336) 273-9932.

[ Home ] [ Aud Brainstem Response ] [ Auditory Processing ] [ Electronystagmography ] [ Hearing Testing ] [ Speech Pathologists ] [ Tinnitus Therapy ]

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this web site is not designed to, and does not, provide medical advice.  All of our content, including text, graphics, images, photographs, charts, maps, information, etc. that has been made available on or through this web site, is provided for general information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for obtaining professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Do not delay in seeking medical advice and do not disregard professional medical advice once obtained because of information that you have obtained on this web site.  It is a good idea to never rely on information from this web site, or any web site, in place of seeking up-to-date, professional medical advice.  For additional information, please see our main Disclaimer Page.

Copyright © 2009 by The Ear Center of Greensboro, P.A.  All rights reserved.
Last modified: 1-1-09