The majority of adults with hearing problems can be fully and most appropriately served by an audiologist. Hearing loss in adults is generally not a medical condition - meaning that in the majority of cases, medical or surgical treatment will not provide relief to patients. Published studies conducted at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, the Dept. of Veterans Affairs and Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit have confirmed that approximately 80% of adult patients with hearing problems cannot benefit from medical or surgical treatment, but can be helped with hearing aids.

Audiologists are the only hearing professionals trained specifically in the measurement of hearing loss and the rehabilitation of the hearing impaired. Our audiologists have earned a Doctor of Audiology, Au.D., from an accredited university. Audiologists are the only hearing professionals required to pass a national standardized exam.

This is the reason audiologists are recognized by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) to provide services for individuals with hearing disorders including diagnostics, corrective services, supplies and equipment. Also, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that evaluation and rehabilitation services to children with hearing loss be conducted by an audiologist. Most insurance companies insist that hearing evaluations be conducted by an audiologist.

Iowa Audiology and Hearing Aid Centers employs audiologists with their doctorate exclusively for patient care. They have been educated extensively in the latest diagnostic and hearing measurement techniques. Our audiologists are abreast of the most up-to-date digital hearing aid fittings and have a good understanding of the impact that hearing loss has on one's quality of life.

•	Make sure your hearing is evaluated by an audiologist.
•	Make sure your test results are interpreted by an audiologist.
•	Make sure your diagnosis is confirmed by an audiologist.
•	Make sure your prescription for amplification is written by an audiologist.
•	Make sure your hearing aid fitting is carried out by an audiologist.
•	Make sure that your post-fitting audiologic treatment is managed by an audiologist.

Many methods have been developed to assess hearing ability, but the most common and the most reliable test has been the pure tone audiogram. Earphones will be placed on your ears and you will be asked to listen for a series of beeping tones that sound rather like notes on a piano. You will be asked to respond when you hear these sounds by raising your hand or pushing a button. Your audiologist will determine the softest volume that you can hear for a variety of tones from very low to very high pitched, and the results will be recorded on a graph called an audiogram. The entire test is performed in a quiet environment so that your test results may be compared to what is normal for human beings. You will also be asked to repeat a series of one syllable words to determine how well you understand what you hear. Sometimes this test is repeated in the presence of background noise.

The entire evaluation takes about an hour and there is no pain or discomfort involved. It simply requires some concentration on your part. The test results are used to determine your diagnosis and which, if any, hearing instruments will be most effective in correcting your hearing loss.