Welcome to the
top-rated audiology clinic in Cerritos

Dr. DeKriek is an Audiologist with over 20 years experience helping those in Southern California. He earned his Doctor of Audiology at the University of Florida and has been awarded his Board Certification in Audiology. He is also a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology.

Audiologists are health-care professionals who evaluate, diagnose, treat, and manage hearing loss, tinnitus, and other issues of the ear. To learn more about what audiologists do, watch the video below.

Hearing aids are generally not covered by health insurance companies, although some do. Financing is usually available. For eligible children and young adults ages 21 and under, Medicaid will pay for the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, including hearing aids, under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) service.

Also, children may be covered by their state’s early intervention program or State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Medicare does not cover hearing aids for adults; however, diagnostic evaluations are covered if they are ordered by a physician for the purpose of assisting the physician in developing a treatment plan.

Since Medicare has declared the BAHA a prosthetic device and not a hearing aid, Medicare will cover the BAHA if other coverage policies are met.

Hearing aids are primarily useful in improving the hearing and speech comprehension of people who have hearing loss that results from damage to the small sensory cells in the inner ear, called hair cells. This type of hearing loss is called sensorineural hearing loss. The damage can occur as a result of disease, aging, or injury from noise or certain medicines.

A hearing aid magnifies sound vibrations entering the ear. Surviving hair cells detect the larger vibrations and convert them into neural signals that are passed along to the brain. The greater the damage to a person’s hair cells, the more severe the hearing loss, and the greater the hearing aid amplification needed to make up the difference.

However, there are practical limits to the amount of amplification a hearing aid can provide. In addition, if the inner ear is too damaged, even large vibrations will not be converted into neural signals. In this situation, a hearing aid would be ineffective.

The hearing aid that will work best for you depends on the kind and severity of your hearing loss. If you have a hearing loss in both of your ears, two hearing aids are generally recommended because two aids provide a more natural signal to the brain. Hearing in both ears also will help you understand speech and locate where the sound is coming from.

You and your audiologist should select a hearing aid that best suits your needs and lifestyle. Price is also a key consideration because hearing aids range from hundreds to several thousand dollars. Similar to other equipment purchases, style and features affect cost. However, don’t use price alone to determine the best hearing aid for you. Just because one hearing aid is more expensive than another does not necessarily mean that it will better suit your needs.

A hearing aid will not restore your normal hearing. With practice, however, a hearing aid will increase your awareness of sounds and their sources. You will want to wear your hearing aid regularly, so select one that is convenient and easy for you to use. Other features to consider include parts or services covered by the warranty, estimated schedule and costs for maintenance and repair, options and upgrade opportunities, and the hearing aid company’s reputation for quality and customer service.

If you’ve noticed any changes in your hearing, visit us at Fidelity Hearing Centers for a hearing test. For seniors over the age of 60, we recommend yearly hearing tests to make sure you catch your hearing as early as possible. Our team of hearing specialists will determine your level of hearing loss, ask you questions about your lifestyle and hearing needs, and help you find the perfect device that will have you hearing at home, at work, and wherever you need a bit of extra help to hear.

Comprehensive hearing evaluations involve non-invasive tests that evaluate your current hearing abilities. Initially your audiologist will spend time learning about your medical history, risk factors for hearing loss as well as your hearing concerns if any.

Next, the audiologist will place you in a sound proof booth and perform a series of tests. At the conclusion of these tests, the Audiologist will review your Audiogram and discuss treatment options if appropriate.

Click here for more information about what to expect at a hearing exam.

There are a few causes of hearing loss. Age related hearing loss, or presbycusis, is caused by the normal wear and tear to your hearing that you experience throughout life. As the cells in the inner ear deteriorate and begin to wear out, you’ll experience hearing loss. This hearing loss is part of the normal aging process, but should still be treated with hearing aids.

Hearing loss can also be caused by exposure to excessively loud noise, and this is called noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL can be sudden, resulting from one extremely loud noise, or can happen after repeated exposure to dangerous noise levels at work, concerts, sports events, etc. When you’re exposed to loud noise, the delicate hair cells in the inner ear are damaged, and are no longer able to send signals to the brain required for normal hearing.

Hearing loss can also be genetic, and 2 to 3 out of every 1000 babies are born with hearing loss.

Age-related hearing loss is a normal part of aging, and can’t be prevented. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), on the other hand, is preventable. To prevent noise-induced hearing loss, it's recommended that you avoid environments with excessive noise. If being around loud noise is unavoidable, then hearing protection is essential.

Wondering how loud is too loud?

If you have to yell to be heard by a person next to you, you need to be wearing hearing protection. Noises you want to protect your ears from include loud music, motorcycles, power tools, heavy machinery, firearms, fireworks, and personal listening devices with the volume on high.

Yes. Dr. Dekriek has performed hundreds of impressions for musicians in Los Angeles County. If you require a custom impression for an in-ear monitor, contact our practice to schedule an appointment. Learn more about our musician earmolds here.

Patients can expect to wait about 2 1/2 weeks for custom earplugs and musician's plugs.  When musicians want custom impressions to ship to their own laboratory for their monitors, I provide the impressions during the same visit. Impressions for musician's monitors are $50 for the pair and they are guaranteed.