Audiology

Audiology Services

Overview

With advanced technology available, having a hearing loss should not disrupt our quality of life. Having a proper assessment as well as rehabilitation by qualified and trained professionals, would enable them to actively communicate just like their normal hearing peers.

For an infant born with a hearing loss, the impact on their speech and language development is more crucial as it could limit academic and work achievement in the future. Therefore, early detection and management is vital to overcome these limitations.

About Us

The Audiology Unit is located at Level 3. The Audiology team in Prince Court Medical Centre (PCMC) consists of qualified clinical Audiologists and Assistants. The aim of the Unit is to offer a comprehensive hearing and equilibrium assessment as well as rehabilitation for patients from infants to geriatrics.

Audiologists are trained professional clinicians dealing with hearing and balance/ equilibrium problems. They perform assessment from infants to geriatrics and provide rehabilitation accordingly.

Audiology Services

The services offered can be divided into screening, diagnostic and rehabilitation:

1. Screening

Newborn Hearing Screening for babies is performed for all babies born in PCMC. Tests are conducted either in the Nursery or in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Hearing screening is also available in the outpatient clinic.

We also offer Audiometric screening for any individuals requiring them such as industrial workers or school children.

2. Diagnostic

Diagnostic tests for hearing are available for all age groups. This includes:

1. 1. Pure Tone Audiometry
   2. Immittance Measurements such as tympanometry and acoustic reflexes utilizing Wideband reflectance technology .
   3. Behavioural hearing assessment for Pediatrics such as Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) and Play Audiometry.
   4. Electrophysiological tests such as Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE), Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) and Auditory Steady-State Response (ASSR).
   5. Speech Audiometry and Speech in Noise Test

3. Auditory and Balance Rehabilitation

PCMC Audiology Specialised Services

1. Hearing Aids and Accessories

• • Hearing Aid evaluation and dispensing are offered here for infants to geriatrics. Apart from Hearing Aids, there are also custom earplugs for noise and music for those working in extreme noisy environments such as industrial or aviation workers.
  • Here, in PCMC, custom earplugs, to cater to different environments with choices of different filters to attenuate sounds are also offered.

2. Hearing Implants

• • Individuals with a severe to profound hearing loss might not gain maximum benefit from Hearing Aid usage. An option would be to undergo a surgical procedure such as cochlear implant or Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (available for individuals with chronic middle ear effusion or single sided deafness).
  • This service is available here and provided by our multidisciplinary team; comprising the ENT Specialist and Surgeon, Audiologist and Speech Therapist.
    

3. Vestibular and Equilibrium

• • Individuals suffering from vertigo, giddiness or unsteadiness causing imbalance would have a negative impact on their daily routines. For severe vertigo episodes, accompanied by nausea and/ or vomiting, the cause needs to be established via assessments to determine the type of management.
  • Vestibular and equilibrium assessments include:
    1. Video Nystagmography (VNG)- oculomotor
    2. Video Head Impulse Test (v-HIT)
    3. Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMPs)- cervical and ocular
    4. Subjective Visual Vertical (SVV)

• • Apart from specific vestibular and equilibrium assessment, risk of falls are also assessed via Vertiguard Posturography. Individuals diagnosed with a risk of falls are suggested to undergo Vertiguard Vibrotactile Rehabilitation to minimize the risk of falls, which is also offered here.

4. Tinnitus Rehabilitation

Tinnitus commonly described as ‘ringing in the ears’ is a common condition affecting a number of people. Depending on the severity, it can be a debilitating condition which affects the psychological state of an individual.

Here, in PCMC, we offer Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) as well as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for the management of tinnitus. Auditory amplification are also offered for individuals having both tinnitus and a hearing loss.