Ear Disease Evaluation and Diagnosis

The best care for ear disease starts with an accurate diagnosis. Henry Ford Health System is one of the few places in Michigan with all the diagnostic services you need in one program.

Multiple specialists, including neurotologists and otologists, work together to pinpoint the source of your symptoms. Our approach helps you receive timely, effective care so you can get much-needed relief.

Ear disease evaluations at Henry Ford: Why choose us?

You have access to advanced diagnostic services only available in premier programs like ours. These tests help us determine the type and severity of ear disease with a high degree of accuracy.

Highlights of our program include:

• World-class audiology services: Evaluations often include hearing tests from doctorate-level audiologists. These specialists assess ear disease, hearing loss and balance disorders while maintaining the highest quality standards. Find out more about our audiology services.
• Advanced evaluations: We coordinate any service you may need to ensure a high degree of confidence in your diagnosis and care plan. This may include services that are not widely available in Michigan. Our offerings include assessments for single-sided deafness. We also offer behavioral health evaluations for hearing implant candidates.
• Collaboration: Specialists are in regular communication, which keeps your care moving forward. You may receive services from neurotologists and otologists, ear nose and throat specialists, audiologists, psychologists and advanced practice providers.
• Personalized care: In addition to formal testing, we take time to get to know you as an individual. We ask about your care goals and explain your diagnosis. We want you to feel informed and confident in your treatment decisions.

Ear disease evaluation and diagnosis: What to expect

Henry Ford offers the latest diagnostic tools and techniques to evaluate the middle and inner ears, parts of the brain and nervous system.

Your care may include:

Initial screening

The neurotology and otology team includes several advanced practice providers (APPs). These physician assistants and nurse practitioners completed training in ear disease.

For many patients, APPs are the first point of contact with our evaluation services. They ask about your symptoms and determine which specialist consultations and types of testing you may need. APPs are conveniently located in Henry Ford clinics across south central Michigan.

Hearing evaluations and specialized audiometric testing

Ear disease assessments typically include one or more hearing tests. Audiologists use a variety of methods to determine whether symptoms are due to issues with the outer, middle or inner ear. Evaluations also assess how sound travels through your ear and your ability to hear specific frequencies and volume levels.

Audiometric testing at Henry Ford is among the most extensive you’ll find in the region. It includes measures of hearing sensitivity (pure tone averages) and middle ear functioning (immittance testing). This information enables our team to deliver the therapies that are best for you.

Balance function testing

We perform multiple tests to get to the source of balance issues. Evaluations may include analyzing your eye movements, positioning your head in specific ways and more. We also assess whether dizziness stems from an ear issue or some other medical condition.

Imaging studies

In some cases, imaging studies (CT and MRI scans) are necessary. Imaging studies enable us to evaluate structures inside your ear and the sides of the skull. They also help our experts rule out other potential causes for your symptoms besides ear disease.

Neurotologist and otologist evaluation with otomicroscopy

Our experts ask about your symptoms and health history and also perform a physical exam. This typically includes looking inside your ear with specialized microscopes. Meet our team.