Audiology
We’re not just an audiology clinic in Odessa Texas.
Because we are a rehabilitation center, we offer a more extensive list of services to help you experience the best health and life possible.
Why We Are Different
Our patients choose to keep coming back to us because:
- We are a non-profit center. We aren’t concerned with making a profit—our focus is on your needs. We want to help you hear and communicate better regardless of your financial situation. PBRC can help you with the same high quality hearing aids at a lower cost than other providers.
- We provide personalized care. Dr. Lourdez Zamora-Fierro has been with us for 20 years. Patients always come back and say to her, “I’m so glad you’re still here!” With a single audiologist, we are able to provide you with personalized care and continue to grow with you over the years.
- We see patients of all ages. Hearing loss isn’t always the result of aging. Anyone can experience hearing loss. That’s why we do audiological testing for newborns all the way to the geriatric population.
- We are patient-focused. It is extremely gratifying helping those with hearing loss finally experience the sounds of the people and things they love. We’ll never tell you that we can’t help. We are committed to finding a solution for you and can work to find funding sources if needed.
- We are a fully operational rehab center. We’re more than just an audiology office. Because we are a rehab center, we can help you with any type of health concern relating to physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy.
Request an Appointment
Call For a Free Consultation – (432) 332-8244
Our Audiology Services
- Audiological diagnostic testing: We offer comprehensive audiological testing to determine the type and degree of your hearing loss. We are extremely thorough and want to make you as comfortable as possible.
- Hearing aid evaluations: We will go over all your options for hearing aids that address your specific hearing loss needs, are suitable for your listening environments, and most importantly are within your budget. We’ll go over a few different options of various levels of technology just so you can be educated on the types of hearing aids available.
- Sound field testing: This is a procedure to determine the hearing sensitivity of a person in which acoustic signals are presented through one or more sound sources in a room.
- Tympanometry: An examination is used to test the middle ear and the mobility of the eardrum by creating variations of air pressure in the ear canal.
- Children’s fittings: We have specialized equipment for diagnostic testing for children.
- Auditory training: For children with hearing loss or deafness, we will help them develop skills using auditory information.
- Hearing aid fittings and programming: We will take the time to individually fit and program your hearing aids to your specific hearing needs and loss.
- Hearing aid cleanings: When you purchase hearing aids from us, cleanings and checkups are included with the price of your hearing aids, so you won’t have to pay when you come in for a cleaning.
- Water and sound protection: We make molds of your ears for custom-fit water and sound protection to keep your ears healthy and hearing their best.
We Want to Help! Call (432) 332-8244
The Impact of Hearing Loss
Our ability to hear keeps us connected to the world around us and the people who matter most. On average, people wait 7 years to treat their hearing loss, but that amount of time can have a significant impact on your overall health and well-being. Letting your hearing loss go untreated may cause you to feel isolated from those around you, and may make it harder for you to adjust if you decide to get hearing aids later on because your brain is not used to hearing everyday sounds like the refrigerator running or cars passing by outside.
There are also a number of health conditions that have been connected to hearing loss including diabetes, sleep apnea, obesity, heart disease, and more. If you experience any of these conditions, it’s important that you receive regular hearing screenings as well.
If you or a loved one has hearing loss, make an appointment! We’d love to help you start your journey to better hearing.
Helping Young Patients with Hearing Loss
Many of our patients are children. We love being able to help children hear better and see the look on their face when they are properly fitted with hearing aids and can hear the sound of their parent’s voices for the first time. We are happy to be a part of this emotional experience—that’s why we welcome children of all ages into our facility for hearing evaluations. Our waiting room is child-friendly with games and toys so they can be comfortable while waiting.
Hearing loss in children is incredibly common in the United States. In fact, 1 to 3 out of every 1000 babies are born with some type of hearing loss. If you suspect your child has hearing loss, it is crucial you take them to a specialist so they can receive the proper help.
Some signs your child may have hearing loss include:
- Difficulty understanding what people are saying
- Limited, poor, or no speech
- Difficulty learning
- They fail to respond to conversation-level speech or answer inappropriately
- They fail to respond to their name
- Easily frustrated when there is a lot of background noise
- Watches the speaker’s face very intently – many children are successful lip readers
If your child does have hearing loss, then treatment options can include hearing aids, cochlear implants, and combination of speech therapy. The option that is right for you and your child will depend on a number of factors including the cause and severity of their hearing loss. Because we are a rehabilitation center we can treat children with hearing loss through hearing aids and speech therapy in the same location.
We understand it can feel overwhelming when your child is diagnosed with hearing loss, but we are here to guide you every step of the way. We want to help your family hear their best and provide the highest quality of care to our young patients.
Call For a Free Consultation – (432) 332-8244
Getting Your Hearing Tested
Hearing loss usually happens gradually, and over time. As you lose sounds, your brain adjusts to not hearing certain sounds or frequencies. Sometimes it can be difficult to notice there is something wrong with your hearing until it has degenerated significantly. Often times it is a concerned spouse or family member who notices you are having a hard time hearing.
If you or a loved one notice any of these signs, then you may have hearing loss and should come see us for an audiological evaluation:
- You are constantly asking people to repeat themselves
- You have difficulty having a conversation in a noisy environment
- You often mishear words
- It seems like everyone is mumbling
- You have to turn the TV volume up in order to hear
- It’s very difficult to understand the person on the other end of the phone
- You experience a constant annoying ringing or buzzing in your ears
We Want to Help! Call (432) 332-8244
Protecting Your Hearing
Even if you don’t currently have hearing loss, it is important to keep your ears, and the ears of your family members, healthy. You can do this by avoiding prolonged exposure to loud noises and if you plan on being around loud noise, for a concert or sporting event, then be sure to wear protective hearing devices. At Permian Basin Rehabilitation Center, we can make custom-fit earplugs to keep your hearing safe when in noisy environments. That way you can continue to enjoy life while also protecting your overall hearing health.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Buy Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids?
Nothing can replace the care of a hearing healthcare professional. If you are interested in over-the-counter (OTC), you should still visit a professional who can give you personalized care and possibly identify the underlying cause of your hearing loss.
While you may see ads for sound amplifiers or other hearing devices online, remember that hearing aids are sophisticated medical devices designed to help your brain process sound, not just make things louder. In order to perform properly, they must be programmed to best suit your personal level of hearing loss and adjusted to fit comfortably to your ears. Hearing loss is complex, and simply turning the volume up will not improve your hearing. We have had many patients who have purchased OTC hearing aids come to us because they never received the proper counseling for their devices and aren’t satisfied with them.
Will Hearing Aids Restore My Hearing Back To Normal?
Although hearing aids will greatly improve your ability to hear and process sounds, they will not restore your hearing to the way it was before hearing loss. Hearing aids are technologically advanced mini-computers that amplify sound and allow your brain to process sounds it hasn’t heard in some time. By using hearing aids you can decrease the chances of your hearing loss worsening and you will be able to get back to enjoying life again.
When Should I Get Hearing Aids?
As soon as you or a loved one notices a change in your hearing. If left untreated, hearing loss will continue to get worse, negatively affecting your quality of life. Untreated hearing loss leads to depression, feelings of social isolation, and relationship strains with loved ones.
Are There Different Types Of Hearing Loss?
Yes, there are three different types of hearing loss and there are different treatment options for each one:
- Conductive Hearing Loss: Sound can’t travel from the outer ear to the inner ear. This is often the result of wax build-up, trauma to the ear, or even ear infections. Typically, conductive hearing loss “turns the volume down” but doesn’t necessarily affect the clarity of your hearing. Conductive hearing losses may also be corrected by medical intervention so it’s important to receive help as soon as possible.
- Sensorineural Hearing Loss: With sensorineural hearing loss, the problem may be damage to the inner ear or within the hearing nerve. Most of the time, the hair cells in the inner ear have been worn down due to aging or noise exposure, but sometimes medications, cancer treatments, or illness can create deterioration as well. With sensorineural loss, it’s not just that “the volume is turned down,” but your ability to understand speech suffers too. About 90% of people have this type of hearing loss and the most effective treatment is hearing aids.
- Mixed Hearing Loss: Just like it sounds, this is a mixture of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
Will My Hearing Loss Worsen Over Time?
It depends on the type of hearing loss you’re experiencing. For the majority of people who have hearing loss, it will get worse with time. Whether you have hearing loss from continued noise exposure or it’s simply a combination of aging and genetics, it is best to have your hearing loss examined as soon as possible. Come visit us so we can help discover what caused your hearing loss and properly treat it with hearing aids.
Do I Have To Wear My Hearing Aids All Of The Time?
You will get the most satisfaction from your hearing aids if you wear them during the hours you’re awake (don’t wear them swimming or in the shower). This consistency will help your brain adjust to the new amplification. You should take your hearing aids out while you sleep in order to let your ears breathe.