What We Do at Rural Audiology
Click a topic below to learn more about what we can do for you.
At Rural Audiology Services, an initial visit to your audiologist begins with a case history in which your medical and hearing history is reviewed. Next, your ears are examined through otoscopy and then a series of tests are performed. These tests determine if there is a hearing loss, the degree or severity of the hearing loss, the configuration of the loss and the best treatment options. Referrals to other professionals are made if necessary.
We understand that making the decision to purchase a hearing aid can be a difficult one. The audiologists at RAS spend time getting to know each patient, what their individual needs are and how to best fill them. We are willing to work with a variety of insurance companies. While we get excited about the latest and greatest technologies, we understand that not everyone can afford it or has a need for it in their listening environments. Each person and their hearing loss is individual and are treated as such.
RAS is willing to service any brand hearing aid. We do both minor in-house repairs and work with an all make repair lab to get your hearing aid back to you as quickly and as cost effectively as possible. We have computer software from several companies allowing us to make adjustments to hearing aids in office.
Did you know that about 30% of all hearing losses can be prevented? At RAS, we strive to not only educate our patients on the causes of hearing loss, but to help them prevent hearing loss. Hearing protection plays a critical role in this role in this. We can take impressions of the ear to make custom fit, comfortable hearing protection.
Are you having difficulties hearing on the phone? We assist people with the TEPP grant application as well as referring to patients for a caption phone (one is available at our front desk for review). Perhaps you need a special alarm clock that is amplified or will even shake your pillow. We help with personal loops, personal amplifiers, TV listening systems, amplified stethoscopes and so much more!
(Including tympanometry acoustic reflexes and reflex decay)
This series of testing helps us better determine the cause of the hearing loss and the need to refer to other specialists such as Otolaryngologists (ENT) or Neurologists.
Real Ear Measures assess the sound present in the ear canal with or without a hearing aid. It is the best tool available to determine if a hearing aid is fit appropriately to a patient's hearing loss.
Using irrigation and instrumentation, we can safely and effectively remove cerumen from most patient’s ears.
Relationships / Insurance
RAS works with many insurance companies including Medicare and Wisconsin Medicaid to make the process of having your hearing tested and obtaining a hearing aid easier.
RAS has a good working relationship with UW Stevens Point, School of Communicative Disorders and frequently supervises Audiology Doctorate students during their studies.
We will service nearly any brand, however we primarily work with the following leading manufacturers:
Customized Hearing Protection
We have worked with different companies to help our patients with custom hearing protection.
- Westone offers a large variety of musician's monitors and hearing protection.
- Starkey has hearing protection for hunters and construction workers.
- Etymotic offers hearing protection for band members and band directors.