Your hearing is personal – getting the settings right means you can focus on conversations and daily life instead of constantly adjusting your hearing aids. To get a customized, high-quality hearing experience, your provider may recommend REM during your hearing aid fitting.

What is REM?

REM uses tiny microphones attached to a thin probe to measure how sound travels through your ear canal while you’re wearing your devices. The data collected by the probe is analyzed to verify that your hearing aids are amplifying sounds at the correct levels, ranging from soft to loud sounds. This information allows your provider to make adjustments that optimize the technology for your specific type of hearing loss.

Everyone’s ear anatomy varies in shape and size. The ear canal, which connects the outer ear to the eardrum, can be long and wide in some, or smaller and narrower in others. Understanding the acoustics of your ear and the sound levels created by your hearing aids is essential to enhancing your hearing and quality of life.

Benefits of REM

Real ear measurement shows your hearing care professional exactly what you’re hearing, leading to more precise adjustments and better hearing in your daily life, in addition to:

• Individualized programming: REM allows your provider to adjust the hearing aid settings to meet your specific hearing needs.
• Enhanced speech clarity: Conversations become easier to follow, even in noisy environments.
• Natural sound quality: Voices, music and everyday sounds feel more balanced and true to life.
• Comfortable sound range: Accurate adjustments reduce the risk of sounds being too loud or too soft.
• Feedback reduction: Properly calibrating hearing aids reduces issues like whistling or feedback.
• Prescription verification: REM helps ensure your hearing aid settings match the prescription given by your provider.

What to Expect During REM

When you visit for a hearing aid fitting using real ear measurement, the process begins with a thorough preparation phase. Your provider will perform an otoscopy to examine the inside of your ear canal, ensuring it’s free from any wax or blockages that could interfere with accurate measurements.
Once your ear canal has been inspected, the professional will carefully insert a tiny microphone probe, positioning it about a quarter inch from your eardrum. Made of silicone, this thin and flexible probe usually creates nothing more than a slight tickling sensation. The microphone at its tip is designed to measure how sound travels through your unique ear canal.

Your hearing aids will then be placed in your ears while keeping the microphone probe in position. This setup is crucial as it allows the microphone to capture both how sounds behave inside your ear and measure the effectiveness of your hearing aids’ amplification.

During the measurement process, you’ll experience a variety of sounds that replicate everyday listening environments. Your provider will use the data collected by the probe to verify that your hearing aids are providing appropriate amplification levels. Throughout this process, they’ll gather your feedback about what you’re hearing. If you find certain sounds too soft, too loud or uncomfortable, they can adjust the settings to better match your preferences.

After making any necessary adjustments, your provider will conduct final testing to confirm that everything is properly calibrated. This ensures your hearing aids are performing optimally for your specific needs.

We welcome you to contact our office if you’d like to learn more about REM or explore other options for customizing your listening experience. Our primary focus is ensuring your hearing aids are comfortable, performing at their best and delivering the highest sound quality possible.

UNSTOPPABLE: Cochlear Implant Recipient lives life on his terms:

Watch as Two Sisters Take the Journey from Cochlear Implant Candidacy to Becoming Recipients:

What ChEARS cochlear implant recipients have to say:

“At 84, having my CI has been life changing. I was 30 when I had a diving accident that left me with 10% hearing in my right ear. I had managed fairly well with one good ear until I aged.

When I first visited ChEARS in 2017, I was using hearing aids in both ears but still hearing poorly. I was dependent on my Family and my Service Dog. I had difficulty understanding my Husband and my Daughter. I could not have a conversation on the phone much less make a doctor’s appointment. I was unable to join in conversations at parties, unable to converse when dining out, and unable to go to the theater. I was becoming isolated. I preferred to be alone.  My Service Dog was trained to take me to my phone when it was ringing, to alert me when walking if someone was walking behind us and to protect me.

Dr Kearney suggested a cochlear implant, a totally new concept to me. The nerve in my right ear had been kept active by using a hearing aid in it, and she thought I was a good candidate. I would not have taken this incredible life-changing leap without Dr. Kearney’s encouragement. After the implant, I worked hard on the suggested training program and with friends and Family. I can HEAR now.

I will be forever grateful!”

• Gail T.

“I am very grateful I had the cochlear implant surgery. With the pandemic event and everyone wearing masks I would have been totally confused and frustrated had I not had the surgery. With the implant, I have been able to have normal conversations with others at stores or neighbors across the street. I have not had to rely on lip reading, which has been a blessing.”

• Lynne

For children, an assessment of any child with a severe to profound hearing loss should be made as early as possible as outcomes with a cochlear implant are significantly better in children who receive an implant at the earliest possible age.

Utilization of other technologies, in combination with the cochlear implant device, have provided further expansions in outcomes bringing recipients closer to “normal” hearing.

If you are interested in learning more about cochlear implants and you think you may be a candidate, please call our office at ChEARS Hearing Center to schedule a consultation.

At ChEARS Hearing Center, we conduct candidacy evaluations to determine if an implant might be right for you. We also support recipients of cochlear implants by meeting their needs for initial activation, interim programming, troubleshooting, upgrades, and even equipment orientation.

What is a Cochlear Implant?

A cochlear implant (also known as a “CI”) is a way to stimulate the auditory nerve via electrical stimulation. Instead of having a hearing aid deliver sound via an acoustic pathway, the cochlear implant bypasses the damaged hair cells in the cochlea (the organ of hearing), and makes direct contact with the auditory nerve to deliver sound via electrical impulses. Patients with cochlear implants still have to wear an external device similar to a hearing aid that will pick up sound and deliver it to the internal implant via a magnet that is placed underneath the scalp.

How Cochlear Implants Work:

There are a number of reasons why a parent, family member, or pediatrician may request that a child is referred to a pediatric audiologist for a hearing test. If a baby did not pass the newborn hearing screening, that child will be referred to a pediatric audiologist for follow-up diagnostic testing and intervention. Most children pass their newborn hearing screening but may show signs that raise concern for a hearing loss as toddlers such as delayed speech/language development, asking for frequent repetition, frequent ear infections, lack of responses to sound, and a family history of hearing loss.

If there is any concern regarding a child’s ability to hear, it is important to consult with a pediatric audiologist for testing and potential intervention.

Why is hearing important?

Hearing is the pathway by which sound has access to the brain. Without the ability to hear properly, children cannot learn speech and language adequately, which can in turn have a negative effect on their social, educational, and emotional development.

Early Intervention is Key!

Research has shown that the first four years of life are critical for learning language. If a child does not receive proper language input early in life (whether through auditory input or sign language), the brain begins to make changes and to use the resources that were originally designated for speech and language for other functions of the body. For this reason, if concern has been raised about a potential hearing loss for a child, early testing and timely intervention are crucial to ensure the child has proper treatment and access to language.

Types of Behavioral Audiological Evaluations

What you can expect during your child’s hearing test appointment

• Behavioral audiological testing is non-invasive and is really fun! The audiologist will first try to look in the child’s ears to check the condition of the ear canal and the tympanic membrane (the ear drum). After that, the audiologist will typically perform some preliminary tests to make sure the ear drum and the cells of the inner ear are working properly. Neither one of these tests cause pain, but they require the child to tolerate a small rubber tip in his or her ears, and to sit quietly for about 30 seconds per ear. After the preliminary tests have been attempted, the child will go into the sound booth either by themselves or with a parent.
• Children between the ages of 6 months and about 2.5 years old will typically be tested using Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA). The child will sit on their parent’s lap and will listen to sounds either through a speaker or headphones. The audiologist will train the child to turn his/heard heads to a screen or reinforcer every time they hear a sound. Children typically respond to sound very well during this test, and end up having a lot of fun!
• Children between the ages of 2.5 years and 5 years will go into the sound booth with the audiologist or an assistant and will play a listening game. This is called Conditioned Play Audiometry (CPA). Children typically learn this game very quickly, and the necessary information can be obtained in as fast as 15 minutes. If the child can continue with testing, the audiologist may then play a picture pointing game or have the child say some words to assess their ability to perceive speech.
• Children over the age of 5 can typically participate in standard audiometry, through which they will push a button or raise their hand every time they hear a sound and repeat words that are said to them.

For more information, please visit our FAQs page

If you are a current patient and have hearing aids that were not fit in our office, we are happy to try to repair your hearing aids. We are able to service most major manufacturers of hearing aids and can tell you in the office if yours is a brand we service. Hearing aids come with a warranty when purchased new. If your warranty has expired, it is still possible to repair most hearing aids with a small fee. Depending on the hearing aid manufacturer, this repair may come with a new year-long warranty. Your hearing professional will provide you with details when you take your hearing aid into the office.

To minimize the need for major costly repairs, it is important to maintain a good working relationship with your Audiologist and schedule routine maintenance appointments. This should be done either quarterly, semi-annually, or annually depending on the needs of the patient.

Tinnitus comes from the Latin word for ringing.  Tinnitus is a sound in the ear that comes from inside your head such as a ringing, buzzing, whistling or chirping – without the presence of an external sound.  Tinnitus is not a disease; it is a very common disorder.  Research supports the theory that tinnitus arises in the brain and is due to altered neural pathways.  It may be intermittent, constant or fluctuant, mild or severe, and may vary from a low roaring sensation to a high pitched type of sound.  There are a number of different kinds of tinnitus.

Possible Causes of Tinnitus Include

• Exposure to a loud noise
• Allergies
• Ear infections
• Certain antibiotics & other drugs or excessive aspirin intake
• Middle ear disorders
• Underactive thyroid gland
• TMJ
• Age-related hearing loss
• Earwax buildup or blockages
• Abnormal bone growth in the ear
• Head or neck injuries
• Benign tumor or the cranial nerve
• Stress and depression

Approximately 50 million people in the United States are estimated to have tinnitus, and one in four people will experience it at least once in their lifetime.

The impact tinnitus has on a person’s life can vary enormously.  Some people can completely ignore their tinnitus and for many others, tinnitus is only a mild irritation.  However, for the unfortunate few, it is totally debilitating.  People with severe tinnitus often experience problems with depression, insomnia, or anxiety.

Treating Tinnitus

For most of you, your tinnitus can now be treated so it won’t bother you anymore.  There are several effective management strategies that can provide relief.  Depending on the individual case, some tinnitus treatments may include:

• A tinnitus masker – This devices is a small electronic instrument built into a hearing aid case.  It generates a noise which prevents the wearer from hearing his own head noise.
• Listening to a fan or radio
• Homeopathic remedies
• Biofeedback training – It consists of exercises the patient learns in order to control various parts of the body and relax the muscles.  When a patient is able to accomplish this type of relaxation, tinnitus generally subsides.  Most patients have expressed that the biofeedback offers them better coping skills.
• Magnesium, zinc
• Vitamin B supplementation
• Acupuncture
• Cranial-sacral therapy
• Magnets
• Hypnosis
• Medications – There are some medications utilized to suppress tinnitus.  Some patients benefit with these drugs, and others do not.
• Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) – This therapy attempts to retrain your brain into perceiving the tinnitus in a different way.
• Avoidance – Is your tinnitus sensitive to caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, aspirin, high fat diet or excess sodium intake?
• In cases where hearing loss is also present, tinnitus often improves when a hearing instrument is properly fitted.
• Sound therapy – Sound therapy involves the use of a sound-generating device as part of an overall program designed by an audiologist that includes informational counseling and other activities to help ease the stress of tinnitus.

It is very important to note that there is not one treatment that will work for each individual.  You need to try various approaches.  Don’t just stick with one method.

In general, tinnitus treatments may not make the tinnitus disappear completely, but they may make it less noticeable and ease your stress and anxiety from it.

For those individuals who suffer daily from chronic tinnitus and have been told “there is nothing you can do for your tinnitus, just learn to live with it”, we offer tinnitus evaluations, consultations and some types of treatments.  If we are unable to treat your tinnitus at our center, we will guide you in the proper direction to other treatment options.  The first step for sudden, chronic or changing tinnitus is an audiologic and medical evaluation.  If you have not had a comprehensive audiologic evaluation and medical work-up, contact your primary care physician or ask us for a referral at CHEARS Hearing Center.

Cerumen typically clears itself from the ears, but in some instances can accumulate and cause a blockage.

Symptoms of a cerumen blockage include:

• Earache
• Tinnitus (noise in the ear)
• Hearing loss
• Ear pressure

If a blockage occurs, it may need to be removed. This can be done at home or at your doctor’s office, depending on the size and severity of the blockage.

How Not to Remove Earwax Buildup

People commonly use cotton swabs to try and remove earwax or dislodge a blockage. However, this can sometimes cause more problems as cotton swabs may push the blockage further down into the ear canal, risking even more damage to the ear.

Cotton swabs themselves can also be accidentally inserted too far into the ear canal and can potentially damage your ear, including the possibility of rupturing your eardrum.

Physicians generally agree that cotton swabs are a bad idea for removing earwax and should only be used on the outer portions of your ear. You should never insert cotton swabs or any small object into your ear canal.

At-Home Earwax Removal

In some instances, your physican may send patients home with an at-home ear wax removal kit. Earwax removal kits can also be purchased over the counter in most drug stores.

These kits generally consist of a liquid that softens earwax and a small rubber bulb syringe. You will be given directions on how much and how often to apply the liquid to your ear canals, allowing it to sit for awhile in your ears to soften up the ear wax. Bubbling and fizzing sensations in your ears is normal with use. You will then use the bulb syringe to gently flush your ears with warm water to remove the ear wax. It may take several days to completely clear earwax blockages from your ear. There are contraindications to using these kits in some people and with some ear conditions. Before attempting at-home earwax removal, it is advised to speak with your doctor to be sure it is safe for you.

Removal at Your Doctor’s Office

If the earwax blockage is more significant, it may need to be removed in your doctor’s office. Doctors typically use one of two methods to remove earwax: irrigation or curettage.

Irrigation is the most common method your doctor will use to remove blockages. Unlike at-home ear wax removal kids, your doctor may use stronger ear wax removal medications in conjunction with irrigation. Carbamide peroxide is typically the main ingredient in these medications.

The less common method is curettage, which involves the use of a curette. A curette is a long, curved tool that is used along with suction to gently scrape cerumen the ear canal, removing the blockage.

If you experience pain or discomfort as a result of earwax, or suspect you have a blockage, it’s important that you see your doctor as soon as possible to address the issue. Removing earwax doesn’t have to be painful and should bring you relief.