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Hearing & Balance Centre: A Neurosensory Clinic

Call us on 1300 965 513

Who is the Hearing & Balance Centre?

The Hearing & Balance Centre is now run by Neurosensory, located on Level 4 of St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. The Centre offers a service of excellence in diagnostic testing and rehabilitation of hearing and balance disorders. There is an additional clinic located in the Sydney ENT Clinic, at 67 Burton St Darlinghurst.

Hearing & Balance Centre provide audiological and vestibular testing as well as audiological rehabilitation including the following range of procedures:

Audiological and Vestibular Testing

Hearing assessment for adults: Pure tone, Speech and Impedance audiometry tests to establish the presence of hearing loss and to determine whether further investigation and/or management is necessary.

Hearing assessment for children: Children from 8 months of age are tested using Visual Reinforcement, Audiometry (VROA), Play Audiometry, Impedance Audiometry and Otoacoustic Emissions. These techniques can ascertain the presence and estimate the degree of hearing loss.

Advanced audiological tests: Otoacoustic Emissions, Electrocochleography, Auditory Brainstem Response, Middle Latency and PLF tests are performed to investigate different parts of the inner ear (cochlea) and auditory pathway (8th nerve) aiding to the differential diagnosis of ear and hearing disorders.

Vestibular Assessments: Electronystagmography and Caloric Responses are accurately tested and monitored by an infra-red system as an aid in the diagnosis of peripheral and central vestibular disorders which cause vertigo, dizziness and imbalance. Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials can also be measured adding to the complex diagnosis of patients with dizziness. Newer testing modalities such as video head impulse testing are also employed.

Audiological Rehabilitation

Hearing Aids: The latest technology in custom made hearing aids including multiple memories, remote control, automatic volume and digital aids are available in various sizes. Hearing aids from all the available manufacturers in Australia are carefully selected to meet the patients individual needs. A trial period of up to four weeks is offered to ensure that maximum hearing capacity has been achieved.

Cochlear Implants and Auditory Brainstem Implant (Bionic Ear): Our centre offers Cochlear and Auditory Brainstem Implant assessment, programming and rehabilitation for those people in whom maximally tuned hearing aids are not providing adequate benefit. The candidacy for cochlear implants have greatly expanded over the last 5-10 years, and are now a viable option for those patients who have last all hearing in one ear, but retain good hearing in their other ear. The audiologic and surgical teams work closely together to obtain optimal hearing results.

Bone anchored Hearing Aids: These type of hearing aids provide an option for amplification in cases where standard hearing aids are not appropriate, and are on of the options for patients with unilateral hearing loss.

Tinnitus Management:  Tinnitus is very common, in fact, around 1 in 10 people experience this condition and about 90% of all cases have no specific medical cause. Tinnitus is most likely linked to changes in your hearing which could still need medical advice and although there is no medical cure, here are five ways to manage and reduce tinnitus;

  • Have your hearing checked
  • Check your sleep patterns and stress levels
  • Retrain your brain
  • Protect yourself from noise
  • Check your diet and medications

Balance Rehabilitation

Neuro-physiotherapist, Kathee De Lapp specialises in balance disorders and provides rehabilitation for patients whose balance mechanism may have been impaired by different causes such as head injuries, neurological disorders, Meniere’s Disease, perilymph fistula, benign paroxysmal position vertigo (BPPV) and post-surgical sequels such as vestibular nerve section, acoustic neuroma removal. New techniques involving special exercises can greatly improve balance and make routine activities safe, easier and less tiring.

Balance retraining or vestibular rehabilitation is also a very important part of the management of vestibular schwannomas.

Appointments and Referral

All patients are seen by appointments which can be made by telephoning the Centre on 1300 965 513

A doctors referral is also requested so a rebate may be claimed on applicable services.