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At Higgins Hearing & Audiology in Traverse City, we’re committed to helping you regain the full joy of hearing. Our experienced and friendly audiologists specialize in comprehensive hearing testing and personalized hearing aid solutions. We believe that everyone deserves to experience life’s beautiful sounds, and we’re here to ensure you do too.

Hearing Aids

In simple terms, a hearing aid is a small electronic device worn in or behind the ear.  But what it can do for someone with a hearing loss is simply amazing.

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Hearing Evaluations

A hearing test provides an evaluation of the sensitivity of a person’s sense of hearing. We provide hearing evaluations for adults.

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What we do

Other Services

Below please find a list of the additional services we provide.  If you are in need of a hearing healthcare related service and don’t see it listed here, give us a call.  We can either provide the service or refer you to someone who can.

Hearing Aid Service

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Why Doesn’t My Hearing Device Work?

What is wrong?

  • No sound
  • Distorted sound
  • Weak sound
  • Feedback
  • Static/Frying sound

Not Clear What should I check?

  • Battery-try a new one (preferably use one from a working instrument)
  • Replace wax trap
  • Clean the microphone(s)
  • Clean the sound-outlet
  • Clean the tubing or hook
  • Have your ears checked for wax build-up
  • Have a new hearing test

When do I consult with my Audiologist?

When you can’t fix it yourself when you are afraid you might break it, (ESPECIALLY when it’s in warranty) or when you need a new hearing test.

Hearing Protection

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Custom Fitted Hearing Protection and Earmolds

The shape of your outer ear and ear canal are unique to you.

Earmolds are typically used for one of two reasons:

  • To keep things out (noise and water are the two big issues).
  • To keep things in (amplified sound from a hearing aid).

To obtain the maximum benefit from an earmold you need the best fit possible and that is exactly why we offer custom made earmolds.

Custom Earmolds

    • iPod earbuds
    • Hunting
    • Musician’s earplugs
    • Swim Molds (for swimming or showering)
    • Noise protection
    • Hunter’s earplugs for shooting

Assistive Listening Devices

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Assistive Listening Device Information

What are assistive listening devices?

The terms assistive listening device or assistive listening technology can refer to any device that helps a person with hearing loss to communicate. These terms often refer to devices that help a person to hear and understand what is being said more clearly or to express thoughts more easily. With the development of digital and wireless technologies, more and more devices are becoming available to help people with hearing disorders to communicate more meaningfully and participate more fully in their daily lives.

What types of assistive listening devices are available?

Several types of ALDs are available to improve sound transmission for people with hearing loss. Some are designed for large facilities such as classrooms, theaters, places of worship, and airports. Other types are intended for personal use in small settings and for one-on-one conversations. All can be used with or without hearing aids or a cochlear implant. ALD systems for large facilities include hearing loop systems, frequency-modulated (FM) systems, and infrared systems.

Click Here for Information About Hearing Loops

What’s a telecoil?

A telecoil, also called a t-coil, is a coil of wire that is installed inside many hearing aids and cochlear implants to act as a miniature wireless receiver. It was originally designed to make sounds clearer to a listener over the telephone. It also is used with a variety of other assistive listening devices, such as hearing loop (or induction loop) systems, FM systems, infrared systems, and personal amplifiers.

The telecoil works by receiving an electromagnetic signal from the hearing loop and then turning it back into sound within the hearing aid or cochlear implant. This process eliminates much of the distracting background noise and delivers sound customized for one’s own need. For people who are hard-of-hearing who do not have a telecoil-equipped hearing aid or cochlear implant, loop receivers with headsets can provide similar benefits but without the customized or “corrected sound” feature that matches one’s hearing loss pattern.

Many cochlear implants have a telecoil built into the sound processor, or can use an external telecoil accessory with both hearing aid compatible telephones and public loop systems. A simple switch or programming maneuver performed by the user activates this function.

FM Systems

FM systems use radio signals to transmit amplified sounds. They are often used in classrooms, where the instructor wears a small microphone connected to a transmitter and the student wears the receiver, which is tuned to a specific frequency, or channel. People who have a telecoil inside their hearing aid or cochlear implant may also wear a wire around the neck (called a neckloop) or behind their aid or implant (called a silhouette inductor) to convert the signal into magnetic signals that can be picked up directly by the telecoil.

FM systems can transmit signals up to 300 feet and are able to be used in many public places. However, because radio signals are able to penetrate walls, listeners in one room may need to listen to a different channel than those in another room to avoid receiving mixed signals. Personal FM systems operate in the same way as larger scale systems and can be used to help people with hearing loss to follow one-on-one conversations.

Infrared Systems

Infrared systems use infrared light to transmit sound. A transmitter converts sound into a light signal and beams it to a receiver that is worn by a listener. The receiver decodes the infrared signal back to sound. As with FM systems, people whose hearing aids or cochlear implants have a telecoil may also wear a neckloop or silhouette inductor to convert the infrared signal into a magnetic signal, which can be picked up through their telecoil.

Unlike induction loop or FM systems, the infrared signal cannot pass through walls, making it particularly useful in courtrooms, where confidential information is often discussed, and in buildings where competing signals can be a problem, such as classrooms or movie theaters. However, infrared systems cannot be used in environments with too many competing light sources, such as outdoors or in strongly lit rooms.

Personal Amplifiers

Personal amplifiers are useful in places in which the above systems are unavailable or when watching TV, being outdoors, or traveling in a car. About the size of a cell phone, these devices increase sound levels and reduce background noise for a listener. Some have directional microphones that can be angled toward a speaker or other source of sound. As with other ALDs, the amplified sound can be picked up by a receiver that the listener is wearing, either as a headset or as earbuds.

What devices are available for communicating by telephone?

For many years, people with hearing loss have used text telephone or telecommunications devices, called TTY or TDD machines, to communicate by phone. This same technology also benefits people with speech difficulties. A TTY machine consists of a typewriter keyboard that displays typed conversations onto a readout panel or printed on paper.

Callers will either type messages to each other over the system or, if a call recipient does not have a TTY machine, use the national toll-free telecommunications relay service at 711 to communicate. (See Telecommunications Relay Services for more information.) Through the relay service, a communications assistant serves as a bridge between two callers, reading typed messages aloud to the person with hearing while transcribing what’s spoken into type for the person with hearing loss.

With today’s new electronic communication devices, however, TTY machines have almost become a thing of the past. People can place phone calls through the telecommunications relay service using almost any device with a keypad, including a laptop, personal digital assistant, and cell phone. Text messaging has also become a popular method of communication, skipping the relay service altogether.

Another system uses voice recognition software and an extensive library of video clips depicting American Sign Language to translate a signer’s words into text or computer-generated speech in real time. It is also able to translate spoken words back into sign language or text.

Finally, for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, captioned telephones allow you to carry on a spoken conversation, while providing a transcript of the other person’s words on a readout panel or computer screen as back-up.

What types of alerting devices are available?

Alerting or alarm devices use sound, light, vibrations, or a combination of these techniques to let someone know when a particular event is occurring. Clocks and wake-up alarm systems allow a person to choose to wake up to flashing lights, horns, or a gentle shaking.

Visual alert signalers monitor a variety of household devices and other sounds, such as doorbells and telephones. When the phone rings, the visual alert signaler will be activated and will vibrate or flash a light to let people know. In addition, remote receivers placed around the house can alert a person from any room. Portable vibrating pagers can let parents and caretakers know when a baby is crying. Some baby monitoring devices analyze a baby’s cry and light up a picture to indicate if the baby sounds hungry, bored, or sleepy.

What research is being conducted on assistive technology?

Researchers are developing devices that help people with varying degrees of hearing loss communicate with others. One team of researchers has developed a portable device in which two or more users type messages to each other that can be displayed simultaneously in real time. Another team is designing an ALD that amplifies and enhances speech for a group of individuals who are conversing in a noisy environment

Cerumen Removal

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Cerumen Removal by an Audiologist

Audiologists are trained healthcare professionals who specialize in hearing health. They can safely and effectively remove cerumen, or earwax, using specialized techniques.

When you visit an audiologist for cerumen removal, they will first examine your ears to assess the severity of the wax buildup. They may use a gentle irrigation technique, where warm water is carefully flushed into the ear canal to loosen and remove the wax. In some cases, they may use a suction device to remove the wax.

Audiologists have the expertise and tools necessary to ensure that cerumen removal is performed safely and efficiently,minimizing the risk of injury or complications. If you have concerns about earwax buildup or are experiencing hearing difficulties, consulting an audiologist is a wise choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question about your hearing, you’re not alone. Current estimates place the number of hearing-impaired adults in the United States at just over 37 million.

What percentage of American adults report hearing loss?

Approximately 17 percent of American adults report some degree of hearing loss.

Is it possible to lose your hearing suddenly?

Approximately 4,000 new cases of sudden deafness occur each year in the United States. Hearing loss affects only 1 ear in 9 out of 10 people who experience sudden deafness. Only 10 to 15 percent of patients with sudden deafness know what caused their loss.

How prevalent is hearing loss?
  • 48 million Americans have a significant hearing loss
  • 1 out of 3 people over age 65 have some degree of hearing loss
  • 2 out of 3 people over 75 have a hearing loss
  • 14% of those ages 45-64 have some type of hearing loss
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) affects 50 million people in the United States.
What causes hearing loss?

Loud noise is one of the most common causes of hearing loss. Noise from lawn mowers, snow blowers, or loud music can damage the inner ear, resulting in permanent hearing loss. Loud noise also contributes to tinnitus. You can prevent most noise-related hearing loss. Protect yourself by turning down the sound on your stereo, television, or headphones; moving away from loud noise; or using earplugs or other ear protection.

Earwax or fluid buildup can block sounds that are carried from the eardrum to the inner ear. If wax blockage is a problem, talk with your doctor. He or she may suggest mild treatments to soften earwax.

A punctured eardrum can also cause hearing loss. The eardrum can be damaged by infection, pressure, or putting objects in the ear, including cotton-tipped swabs. See your doctor if you have pain or fluid draining from the ear.

Health conditions common in older people, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, can contribute to hearing loss. Viruses and bacteria (including the ear infection otitis media), a heart condition, stroke, brain injury, or a tumor may also affect your hearing.

 

Is there a connection between hearing loss and age?

There is a strong relationship between age and reported hearing loss: 18 percent of American adults 45-64 years old, 30 percent of adults 65-74 years old, and 47 percent of adults 75 years old or older have a hearing loss.

Our Mission

A Caring Approach to Hearing Health

We strive to provide comprehensive and professional hearing health care, from prevention to rehabilitation, for those individuals with hearing concerns. Our patient care will be unique to each individual and reflect the professional concern and attention required to allow each individual to succeed in their goal of improved quality of life through better hearing.

Contact Us

1211 West Front Street
Traverse City, MI 49684

Telephone: (231) 947-2420

Office Hours: M-F 9:00 - 5:00

*We are closed every day from 12:00-1:00pm