earValley Ear, Nose & Throat offers a full range of audiological services including audiological testing, hearing aids, bone anchored hearing aids, and cochlear implants.  Our audiologist, Charles Butler, our cochlear team, and audio techs work with our physicians to serve our patients’ hearing health.

  • Audiology Testing

ABR

Measures brain stem response to sound. This enables us to test the hearing of young children and others who may not be able to respond to traditional audio.

Audio

We offer a full range of traditional audiometry.

ENG

Records the vestibular function of the middle ear, helping us to diagnose and treat balance disorders.

 

  • Bone Anchored Hearing Aids

The Baha System is a 3-part medical device for the treatment of hearing loss.

Sound Processor The sound processor, which sits behind the ear, picks up sound through a microphone. The sound is amplified and converted into sound vibrations.

Abutment The abutment, or connector, links the sound processor and a titanium implant, transferring the sound vibrations from the sound processor to the implant.

Titanium Implant The titanium implant is a small fixture surgically placed behind the ear in an outpatient procedure. It naturally fuses with bone and transfers sound vibrations to the inner ear.

Is a Baha system right for you?

Ask yourself the following questions…

  • Do you hear only from one side?
  • Do you have malformed ears, or chronically draining ears?
  • When using hearing aids, do you have:
    • Problems getting sufficient loudness?
    • Trouble with feedback, squeals, whistles, or distorted sound quality?
    • Do you have sore or irritated ears due to wearing your earmolds?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be a candidate for a Baha System. Talk to your hearing professional to learn more.

http://www.cochlear.com/

 

  • Cochlear Implants

Christina Muñoz is VENT’s cochlear implant coordinator. Muñoz works closely with the surgeon, the cochlear team, the patient and their family throughout the process to ensure optimal implant result.  The surgery is part of the beginning of our process, not the end.  Our cochlear team is made up of Dr. Glatz (the surgeon), the audiologist, the speech-language pathologists, and Muñoz.

Experts in the medical field consider a cochlear implant an effective long-term solution for many individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss who do not benefit from hearing aids.

A cochlear implant is an electronic device that mimics the natural hearing function of the inner ear for individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss. A cochlear implant system has two parts: an external sound processor and an internal implant. Unlike hearing aids, cochlear implants do not amplify sound; rather they bypass the damaged part of the inner ear and send electrical signals directly to the hearing nerve. Discuss with you hearing professional whether a cochlear implant is right for you.

Is a cochlear implant right for you?

Ask yourself the following questions: When using hearing aids…

  • Do you have to ask people to repeat themselves in one-on-one conversations, even in a quiet room?
  • Do you depend on lip-reading to understand a conversation?
  • Do you avoid social activities because you don’t know what’s being said and are afraid you may respond incorrectly?
  • Are you exhausted at the end of the day because communication requires such a high degree of concentration?
  • Are you having a hard time keeping up at work?
  • Is it hard for you to talk on the phone and do you avoid calling or answering the phone?
  • Is listening to music no longer fun?

http://www.cochlear.com/

 

  • Hearing Aids

Charles Butler, the audiologist director at Valley ENT-Professional Hearing Aids, has been practicing audiology for more than 28 years. During that time, Mr. Butler has successfully fit thousands of hearing aids on satisfied patients, developing considerable knowledge and expertise in the field. Mr. Butler obtained his Masters Degree in audiology from the University of Texas in 1984. Over his long career, he has served as an industry lecturer and an adjunct professor of audiology at the university level; and he has received numerous certifications and awards. Mr. Butler is licensed by the state of Texas and is a member of the American Speech and Hearing Association, the American Academy of Audiology and the Texas Academy of Audiology.