Shannon Audiology Addresses Hearing Loss at Every Level
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Hearing loss can impact important aspects of everyday life, whether relating to safety at work, understanding instructions in school or enjoying time with family and friends. These issues can make communication, learning and other tasks difficult at any stage of life.
Shannon Audiologist Chloe Haygood, Au.D., CCC-A, F-AAA, knows that the signs of hearing loss are more subtle than people realize, and often even more challenging to acknowledge.
“We know it takes the average person 7 years to accept that they have hearing loss,” said Haygood.
Common signs that you or someone you know may need a hearing loss evaluation include:
- Consistently needing higher volume on devices, like the TV.
- Trouble understanding conversations in busy environments, like a restaurant.
- Asking someone to repeat themselves more than once.
- Missing words or parts of words in everyday conversation.
If you suspect that you are experiencing hearing loss, contacting Shannon Audiology is your first step.
Shannon Audiology offers services for individuals in all stages of life, from infants to geriatric patients. Along with Haygood, the team includes Audiologists Donald Cook, Au.D., F-AAA and Christi Madsen, Au.D.,CCC-A, F-AAA.
The service is located at Shannon Clinic West, alongside Shannon’s ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialists, with the goal of creating a streamlined patient experience for more effective and timely care.
“Patients can receive a hearing test and see the ENT then in one visit,” said Haygood.
Shannon’s audiology specialists identify and treat hearing disorders and educate patients about effective ways to treat and cope with hearing loss. They also evaluate for balance disorders, which often result from issues within the vestibular system.
Hearing Services
Hearing Assessments Hearing assessments are an important step in treating hearing loss, from newborn through geriatric individuals. Shannon Audiology performs baseline hearing screenings, which is helpful for evaluating hearing loss in the future.
Hearing Aids Hearing aids are a common solution to hearing loss in children and adults. Not all hearing aids are created equal, though. Haygood recommends that individuals see a specialist for hearing aids, since the devices do more than amplify sounds. “They are designed to help specific hearing deficits that are unique for each patient,” Haygood says.
Infant and Pediatric Hearing Loss Shannon’s team can assist parents of babies and children in identifying and treating hearing loss. This includes additional testing for newborns who do not pass the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening, which can identify possible hearing deficits at birth.
Bone-Anchored Implants Bone-anchored implants are surgically placed devices designed for patients with a functional inner ear but who experience middle or outer ear issues. These implants treat hearing loss by conducting sound waves through the bone directly to the inner ear. Shannon Otolaryngologist Barcleigh Landau, MD, provides the implantation procedure in San Angelo.
Cochlear Implant Program Cochlear implants are another type of device for individuals who may need additional support beyond hearing aids or are unable to use them. This program is open to patients as young as 8 months old, making it a viable option for pediatric patients with hearing loss. Because placing cochlear implants is a specific surgical procedure, Shannon partners with an ENT surgeon located in Abilene. Eligible patients can complete the audiology testing at Shannon, be referred for surgery, and then complete the follow-up appointments in San Angelo.