Audiology is the clinical evaluation and management of hearing and balance problems in people of all ages. It also involves the fitting and management of hearing aids and other hearing assistive devices.

The specialist who practices audiology is called an audiologist. Michael A. Sexton, Au.D., provides several hearing services on the campus of Parkway Regional Hospital.

• Complete Diagnostic Audiology -- Evaluates the status of the auditory system, revealing the degree and type of hearing loss. This procedure is an introductory test that guides the audiologist in determining the need for other protocols. It also provides information as to whether or not a patient has a medical problem causing the loss of hearing or if the person has a non-medical etiology. This procedure requires a one hour time period which allows for counseling and discussion of the findings.
  
• Acoustic Impedance Measurement -- Determines the mobility of the eardrum and associated middle ear bones. Many children develop fluid behind the eardrum due to upper respiratory infections. This procedure can make a direct measurement of the middle ear system to rule out the possibility of a middle ear problem. Other disorders are also associated with middle ear dysfunction. This procedure requires a five minute period.
  
• Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) -- Measures the performance of the outer hair cells of the inner ear. This procedure is extremely useful when evaluating the hearing of young children. Pitch specific information can be obtained in a very short period of time. This procedure requires an actual test time of 5-30 seconds per ear.
  
• Electronystagmography (ENG) -- Determines the status of the vestibular (balance) system. This procedure is the primary method of documenting a patient’s dizziness. Many complaints primary care physicians receive from their patients relate to dizziness or vertigo.  Many patients who have dizziness experience problems when they rotate their heads in different positions. This type of dizziness may be caused by what is termed “positional vertigo” that can be treated and cured by the audiologist with one or two visits. The procedure requires one hour and fifteen minutes.
  
• Hearing Aid Evaluations, Fittings, and Hearing Aid Repairs

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Sexton, please call Dr. Bruce Rowland’s office at (270) 472-8399. 

About Dr. Sexton:

Dr. Michael Sexton completed undergraduate studies in Communication Disorders at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  He earned his Doctor of Audiology degree from the School of Audiology at Pennsylvania College of Optometry. He is licensed by the state of Kentucky as an Audiologist and as a Hearing Instrument Specialist, and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association.

Dr. Sexton joined Parkway Regional Hospital’s staff in 2009. He has fourteen years of experience as an Audiologist. His clinic is equipped with a sound treated booth to assure test accuracy.  Hearing ability can be evaluated through traditional techniques such as repeating words at various loudness levels, or responding to soft tones over a range of pitches. A graph of your hearing ability, known as an audiogram, will then be obtained. If a significant hearing loss is noted, his patients will be evaluated for hearing aids.