Hearing Aids

We help patients meet their communication goals with state-of-the-art hearing aid solutions.

Appointments: 614-366-3687

Dealing with hearing loss, no matter the cause, can negatively impact your career, relationships and overall quality of life. Fortunately, there are various technologies available to help manage your hearing problems, and one of the easiest solutions is using a hearing aid.

Hearing aids are small electronic devices worn in or behind your ear that assist you in hearing. They amplify sound and can help people hear better in both quiet and noisy environments. Hearing aids allow you to regain the confidence you once had in social situations and give you the ability to engage comfortably with your friends and loved ones.

The team of expert audiologists and ear, nose and throat (ENT) physicians at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center will work closely with you to determine the exact level of your hearing loss and treat any underlying conditions that might be causing it. Then, we can fit you with the ideal hearing aid type to help improve your hearing and get you back to enjoying life.

Types of hearing aids available from the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center

Hearing aids vary by size, their placement (behind the ear or completely inside the ear canal) and how much they amplify sound. The hearing aid that will work best for you depends on what kind of hearing loss you have and how severe it is.

Choosing the right hearing aid is essential and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Our audiologists can help make sure you choose the correct device for your medical issues, financial budget and goals.

In-the-ear, custom-fit hearing aids

Completely in the canal hearing aid

Completely-in-the-canal hearing aid

The completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid is made to fit the shape and the size of the ear canal. It fits completely into the ear canal. This hearing aid can be made with special features such as a directional microphone system that can help you hear voices in a noisy room. It can be damaged by earwax and fluid draining from the ear. CIC hearing aids are used by people who have mild to moderate hearing loss. Some people find its small size hard to handle.
Half shell hearing aid

In-the-canal hearing aid

The in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid is made to fit the shape and the size of the ear canal. It fits partly into the ear canal. This hearing aid can be made with special features such as a directional microphone system that can help you hear voices in a noisy room. It can be damaged by earwax and fluid draining from the ear. ITC hearing aids are used by people who have mild to moderate hearing loss. Some people find its small size hard to handle.
Full shell in the ear hearing aid

Half shell in-the-ear hearing aid

The parts of the in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid are in a case that fits in the outer part of the ear. ITE hearing aids can be made with special features. These include a telecoil that improves hearing during phone calls and a directional microphone system that can help you hear voices in a noisy room. An ITE hearing aid can be easier to handle than the smaller in-the-canal and completely-in-the-canal hearing aids. It can be used by people who have mild to severe hearing loss.

Full Shell in the Ear

Full shell in-the-ear hearing aid

The parts of the in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid are in a case that fits in the outer part of the ear. ITE hearing aids can be made with special features. These include a telecoil that improves hearing during phone calls and a directional microphone system that can help you hear voices in a noisy room. An ITE hearing aid can be easier to handle than the smaller in-the-canal and completely-in-the-canal hearing aids. It can be used by people who have mild to severe hearing loss.

Behind-the-ear hearing aids

Behind the ear hearing aid

Behind-the-ear hearing aid

Most parts of the behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid are in a case that fits behind the ear. The case is connected to a plastic ear mold by a clear tube that wraps around the top of your ear. BTE hearing aids can be made with special features. These include a telecoil that helps with hearing during phone calls and a directional microphone system that can help you hear voices in a noisy room. BTE hearing aids are used for all degrees of hearing loss, especially very severe hearing loss. 
Open fit receiver in the canal Front

Mini behind-the-ear hearing aid

The mini behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid is a smaller version of the BTE hearing aid. The parts are in a case behind the ear, but the case is smaller. The tube that connects the case to the earpiece is almost invisible. Some mini BTE aids have a very small earpiece that doesn't completely fill the ear canal. These are called "open fit" ear pieces. They are less visible than the ear molds used with BTE hearing aids. They also reduce the feeling of fullness in the ear and can be more comfortable to wear.

Over-the-counter hearing aids vs. custom hearing aids

Hearing Aid

What you should know before shopping for over-the-counter hearing aids

OTC hearing aids (hearables) have been approved for use with mild to moderate hearing loss. While you might prefer these for affordability and ease of purchase, you should still consult an audiology expert at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center to establish a baseline hearing test and be sure this is an appropriate option for you.

Also, prescription hearing aids can be customized to fit any ears or hearing needs, including more severe hearing loss.

Read more on health.osu.edu

How do hearing aids work?

To understand how a hearing aid works, it’s important to understand the five parts that make up one. The parts include:

  1. A microphone – to capture sound and digitize it
  2. An amplifier – to enhance the digital signal’s volume
  3. A speaker – to relay the amplified sound into your ear
  4. A computer chip – to be programmed by an audiologist to fit your diagnosis
  5. A battery – to keep the whole machine running

Today’s hearing aids are more than amplifiers that just make sound louder. In fact, a hearing aid is a sophisticated piece of state-of-the-art technology with a variety of roles, from making sounds understandable to filtering out background noise to improving comprehension of speech.

Here are some examples of current hearing instrument technology:

  • Automatic signal processing: This type of signal processing keeps the output of the hearing instrument comfortable, so manual changes are unnecessary. Soft sounds are amplified, while loud sounds receive little or no amplification.
  • Feedback management: This gives hearing aid users access to increased high-frequency amplification without feedback (the whistling and buzzing noise a hearing aid can make).
  • Noise management: Modern hearing instruments can continually monitor incoming signals and determine the amount of noise in the environment. They then automatically minimize background noises, such as those in a restaurant or at a party.
  • Directional technology: Directional microphones provide heightened clarity for users by focusing on sounds coming from the front and lessening noise sources coming from other directions.
  • Wireless accessories: By linking up to your Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or other devices, these add-ons will provide improved sound quality and clarity — even when you're streaming from your TV or listening to music.

Our Audiologists

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Laura Feeney, AuD

Audiologist

Laura Feeney, AuD, earned both her bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Science and her doctoral degree in Audiology from The Ohio State University. She has been with the Ohio State Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery since 2007. She is certified by the American Board of Audiology and is a member of the American Academy of Audiology. Her clinical interests include diagnostic testing, hearing aids and cochlear implants.

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Laura Garish, AuD

Audiologist

Laura Garish, AuD, earned her bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University in 1992 and master’s degree from the University of Akron in 1994. She completed her doctorate degree in 2001 at the University of Florida. She worked as the director of Audiology in the Huntington Ear Clinic in Huntington, West Virginia, from 1994-1996 and joined the Ohio State Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery in 1997. Laura is a founding member, board member and treasurer of the nonprofit foundation, Project EAR, Inc. 

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Brenda Hall, AuD

Audiologist

Brenda Hall, AuD, graduated from the University of North Carolina with a master’s degree in Audiology. She received her doctoral degree from Arizona School of Health Sciences in 2010. She has been a member of the Ohio State Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery since 1991. Her interests include working with patients with cochlear implants and hearing aids.

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Meghan Hiss, AuD

Audiologist

Meghan Hiss, AuD, received her bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Science and her Doctor of Audiology degree from The Ohio State University in 2008 and 2012, respectively. She worked as a clinical audiologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Columbus Speech and Hearing Center before joining the Ohio State Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in 2018. Her clinical interests include diagnostic audiology, cochlear implants and the fitting of hearing aids and assistive technology. Dr. Hiss is a research audiologist at the Ohio State Buckeye Center for Hearing and Development. She is board certified by the American Board of Audiology and is a member of the American Academy of Audiology and the Ohio Academy of Audiology. 

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Kayla Kirk, AuD

Audiologist

Kayla Kirk, AuD, earned both her bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Science and her Doctor of Audiology degree from The Ohio State University. Dr. Kirk worked as a clinical audiologist at Southwest Ohio ENT and Columbus Speech and Hearing Center before joining the Ohio State Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Her clinical interests include diagnostic audiology and the fitting of hearing aids, auditory osseointegrated devices, and assistive technology. Dr. Kirk is board certified by the American Board of Audiology and is a member of the American Academy of Audiology and the Ohio Academy of Audiology. 

Debby LaPrete, AuD

Audiologist

Debby LaPrete, AuD, received her bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and her master's degree from the University of Cincinnati. She graduated from the Arizona School of Health Sciences with her doctoral degree in Audiology in 2009. Dr. LaPrete has worked at Ohio State since 1994, and specializes in providing services to recipients of cochlear implants and auditory brainstem implants.

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Cari Mickelson, MEd

Audiologist

Cari Mickelson, MEd, graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Audiology. She has worked in a variety of medical settings for the past 25 years. Her interests include diagnostic audiology and hearing aid dispensing. Cari is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Alyse Ramirez, AuD

Audiologist

Alyse Ramirez, AuD, received a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education and a Doctor of Audiology degree at The Ohio State University in 2016 and 2022, respectively. She completed an externship and worked as a clinical audiologist at Southwest Ohio ENT before joining Ohio State in 2023. Her interests include hearing aids, cochlear implants and Baha implants. Dr. Ramirez is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the American Academy of Audiology.
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Melissa Schnitzspahn, AuD

Manager, Audiology

Melissa Schnitzspahn, AuD, received her bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Science from The Ohio State University in 1998 and her master’s degree in Audiology from Ohio State in 2000. She obtained her doctoral degree in Audiology from the Arizona School of Health Sciences in 2008. Melissa joined the Ohio State Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery in 2001. Her interests include hearing aid dispensing and cochlear implants.

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Saul Strieb, AuD

Audiologist & Vestibular Laboratory Coordinator

Saul Strieb, AuD, obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and his master’s degree in Audiology from the University of Maryland. He received his doctoral degree in Audiology from the University of Florida in 2009. He served as an audiologist at the Washington Hospital Center from 2001 through 2011, before joining the staff of the Ohio State Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery in 2011. His clinical interests include hearing aids, BAHA, vestibular assessment and treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

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Taylor Wucinich, AuD

Audiologist

Taylor Wucinich, AuD, received her bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Science and her Doctor of Audiology degree from The Ohio State University in 2014 and 2018, respectively. She worked as a clinical audiologist in Westerville, Ohio before joining the Ohio State Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery in 2021. Her interests include diagnostic testing, hearing aids, auditory osseointegrated hearing devices, and vestibular assessment. Dr. Wucinich is a member of the American Academy of Audiology and the Ohio Academy of Audiology. She is board certified by the American Board of Audiology.
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