Halton Hearing Centre

Within Verso Surgery Centre’s convenient Toronto location, the Halton Hearing Centre provides solutions for a variety of patients. Melissa McFadden is the founder and Chief Audiologist of our renowned, comprehensive hearing centre and enjoys partnering with Dr. Jack Kolenda. The centre sees clients for a full range of services, including hearing aid sales with a wide selection of hearing aid options, hearing aid repairs, hearing loss assessment tests and quality hearing aid batteries.

Hearing Tests

A hearing test examines the effectiveness of your hearing. It determines whether you hear normally, or if you’ve developed hearing loss. The assessment will evaluate all the different frequencies you can hear and learn where in the spectrum you’ve lost function, and to what degree. This type of analysis can also let us know what kind of hearing reduction you have and the likely causes.

There’s no need to feel nervous- the test doesn’t feel uncomfortable. It involves wearing special headphones, listening to sounds and responding to your audiologist. They will look in your ears, ask you questions and play a series of specialized tones and voices for you. Assessments will usually take about 30 minutes.

Sometimes people don’t pursue hearing testing until they’ve lost a noticeable amount of function, but we recommend that this testing be a regular part of health check-ups for everyone because you will not necessarily notice when the deficits first occur. A hearing test will help you obtain a baseline of current hearing levels to compare with future test results. Initial hearing assessment is typically recommended for those over the age of 50, and periodic re-assessment is suggested for ongoing monitoring.

We offer only the highest quality devices from trusted industry leaders, and we provide exceptional customer service and advice. The Halton Hearing Centre is warm, inviting and dedicated to ensuring each client feels comfortable. We’ll exceed your expectations when you visit us for your hearing needs. learn more.

Products and services we offer

What does it cost to have a hearing test?

We provide the first diagnostic hearing test free of charge for adults with suspected or known impairment, and no referral is required. There will be a fee related to tests necessary for driver’s licenses, various employment and for RCMP and other police training programs. Please ask us for further details.

A hearing assessment at the Halton Hearing Centre comes with no obligation. If your professional recommends an assistive device or hearing aid, they’ll also provide you with detailed options and advice that allows you to consider the various possibilities for your hearing need. Today the possibilities are nearly endless, and there are technologically advanced yet discrete assistive devices to suit any age, fashion or lifestyle. Let us show you what’s possible to improve your hearing.

Do you live in Hamilton, Mississauga or Toronto and have hearing loss? Here are the common symptoms

Do the people around you often seem to mumble or speak too quietly? For many people, this is one of the first signs of reduced listening ability, but they don’t recognize that it is not other people who are quieter, rather their own hearing has diminished. If people need to repeat things for you, or it’s hard for you to understand those facing away or not in the same room, you may have a hearing deficit.

Do any of these sound familiar:

  • Do you have difficulty detecting high-pitched tones like music, birdsong, women’s or children’s voices?
  • It‘s difficult to follow the conversation in a loud/noisy environment such as a party or restaurant.
  • You tend to stay home more often because it’s challenging to follow other people’s conversations.
  • People ask you to turn down the television or radio when you are listening.
  • You have difficulties hearing people you talk to over the phone.
  • You have trouble understanding people who whisper
  • You have difficulty determining the direction a sound comes from, such as approaching cars.
  • You find yourself saying “pardon, what” more often.

If three or more of these situations apply to you, we recommend that you visit us at the Halton Hearing Centre and have a baseline hearing test done so you can get a complete picture of your hearing function and needs. The test is easy, and we’ll never pressure you to make a purchase, but understanding your personal hearing ability can be eye-opening and helpful for many people.

How do hearing loss symptoms affect a person’s life?

You may have already noticed some undesirable outcomes from hearing problems of your own, or for someone you know. The decreased function is often subtle and slow for those over 50, with the higher end of the spectrum diminishing first. Signs may appear as:

  • Reduced attention span
  • Difficulty understanding conversations
  • Decreased communication with others
  • Loss of memory linked with dementia (Lin, et al., 2011)
  • More overly cautious behaviour
  • Decreased job performance
  • Feeling left out/ not acknowledged by others
  • Depressed, irritable or isolated

It’s never too early to be proactive about your hearing. Many people wait ten years or more after noticing hearing deficits, before seeking help. Do you know as many as 1 in 6 people may have impaired hearing and over 700 million people worldwide suffer from this issue? You’re not alone! People may feel self-conscious about hearing difficulties, but early intervention can actually help prevent some degree of further impairment. Hearing aid devices help maintain the neural pathways which are responsible for processing all sounds around you, and continuous stimulation can avoid degradation of speech understanding. Delays in getting assistance might cause more difficulty adjusting to hearing aids.

Unfortunately, exhibiting symptoms of reduced hearing is often more noticeable to others than we’d like to think but today’s modern hearing aids aren’t noticeable at all. Take the first step; contact us at the Halton Hearing Centre.

We look forward to meeting you.

  • Toronto hearing loss- What are the causes of impairment?
  • Numerous contributing factors lead to damage or reduction of one’s hearing.

Noise

Noise-induced loss of hearing can present a problem for all age groups, and up to 8.5% of young people between the ages of 20-30 now have less functional hearing ability than they should. As we age, the delicate structures within our ears that conduct sound may have been damaged and will not transmit as well. Though sudden, loud stimulus can injure hearing, more often the reduction in function comes from many years of steady, prolonged exposure to high decibel level noise. Recreational activities like riding motorcycles or snowmobiles, along with work-related sounds of construction or music can impact hearing structures. A relatively new problem aside from gradual wear and tear is the excessive volumes of headphones. The vibration level of most headphones and the volume levels they are used at are affecting young people more often than in the past. Noise-related hearing damage is permanent.

Age

Presbycusis is a medical term for age-related hearing loss. Alterations cause the cells and nerves of the inner ear due to advancing years. This type may range from mild to severe and is permanent.

Occlusion/Blockage

The build-up of ear wax is an ongoing issue for many people. A foreign body, swelling or debris that blocks the ear canal will reduce the passage of sound waves and impair hearing. This type of impairment is typically temporary and easy to treat.

Medications

Some medications are toxic to the inner ear nerves. They may lead to temporary tinnitus ( ringing in the ears) or permanent loss of function. These include Aspirin, antibiotics, Viagra, antimalarials or some diuretics. Chemotherapy drugs can also lead to permanent hearing damage.

Trauma

Injuries to the head or ears can lead to sudden, dramatic hearing loss. That is because the delicate inner structures such as ossicles of the middle ear may become broken or dislodged under impact. Though damaged eardrums often heal, hearing can be affected in the long term if structures were changed.

Ear Infection

Ear infections often cause reduced hearing ability. Children are prone to ear infections, also known as swimmer’s ear, because of the shape of their ear canal and eustachian tubes. Fluid may accumulate in the middle ear and become a physical barrier for the clear passage of sound. Ear infections and fluid are treated medically and often clear on their own as well.

Diseases

Otosclerosis is the term for a condition affecting the middle ear bones. This structural problem can often be treated surgically.

Acoustic Neuroma describes a benign tumour on the auditory nerve. Other growths such as exostoses, osteomas or glomus tumours may block the ear canal.

Meniere’s Disease is a condition frequently characterized by tinnitus and vertigo, while also diminishing hearing ability.

Illness

Illnesses resulting in high fevers such as meningitis, mumps, and measles may damage hair cells of the inner ear, leading to permanent impairment. During pregnancy, illness contracted by the mother may also lead to diminished hearing function for her unborn child. Parasitic infections such as toxoplasmosis may result in birth defects and hearing loss so handling undercooked meat or cat litter should be avoided.

Genes

The hearing loss a person’s genes are predisposed to may be conductive, sensorineural, or mixed. Hearing reduction due to genetics also include syndromes such as Down Syndrome, Waardenburg Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Crouzon Syndrome, or Neurofibromatosis.

Other medical factors which may affect hearing include:

Circulation

Interrupting blood flow to the brain or inner ear structures may lead to damage and deficits. Health conditions affecting blood circulation include Heart Disease, Diabetes, Stroke, Elevated Blood Pressure, and autoimmune disorders. Loss of hearing caused by rheumatoid arthritis or autoimmune inner ear disease can occur in both ears or just one. This type of loss may fluctuate or progress steadily.

Hearing impairment types are highly individual

Conductive hearing problems

When the ear canal or the small sound conducting structures in the middle ear is in some way impaired, conductive loss occurs. Transmission of vibrations from the outer world to the middle ear is interrupted. A build-up of ear wax in the canal, perforated eardrum or fluid behind the eardrum fall into this category. Damaged or defective ossicle bones also constitute conductive loss and may be surgically or medically treated.

Sensorineural

The most common hearing loss type, over 90% of all those who wear hearing aids have a sensorineural loss related to the auditory nerve. The micro-hair cells of the inner ear, once damaged, are unable to convert vibrations into the signals required for the hearing nerve. Long-term exposure to high decibel noise is a critical factor for this type of loss.

Mixed Cause

At our Toronto hearing loss centre, we want to make treatment convenient and comfortable

We’ll even conduct home visits. We have valued clients who have difficulty visiting us in person or who do not have transportation, so we’re happy to make treatment and assessment easier with home hearing screenings and hearing aid consultations. Please contact us to inquire about applicable fees for this service.

Melissa McFadden is an experienced Clinical and Dispensing Audiologist, since 2006, and she shares the Verso Surgery Centre facility with Dr. Jack Kolenda in a state-of-the-art ENT Clinic. Melissa enjoys seeing patients of all ages and backgrounds for assessment and specializes in prescription and dispensing of assistive listening devices (ALDs) and hearing aids. She also offers customization and repairs of hearing instruments. When you see our caring, professional staff, you’ll receive personalized recommendations and counselling regarding your hearing.

The Verso Surgery Centre in Toronto has been created and designed to provide exceptional and comprehensive medical care for our patients. Dr. Kack Kolenda’s Otolaryngology (ear nose and throat) expertise and extensive training in facial plastic and head and neck surgery make him an incredible asset for consultation in this comprehensive hearing care practice.

If you have questions about the quality of your hearing, it’s time to take the simple next step of scheduling your hearing assessment. We look forward to helping improve your hearing and your life. Give us a call today

Are you ready for your closeup?

Take the first step and get in touch with us. Find out what we can do to restore your youthful appearance & confidence.

Benefits of Submuscular Breast Implant Placement

  • Covering and hiding the implant in thin-skinned or small-breasted women

  • Reducing the chance of visible rippling
  • May reduce the likelihood of developing capsular contracture (excessive formation and tightening of scar tissue)

Benefits of Submammary Breast Implant Placement

  • May fill out and perk up deflated breasts more effectively
  • May feel softer
  • Avoids animation deformity (visible muscle contraction over the implant when flexing)

Not sure which one is best for you? Don’t worry- our experienced medical staff is trained to assess your anatomy, skin type, proportions, and existing tissue. They’ll listen to your goals and expectations, then recommend the method of augmentation and placement which is likely to deliver your desired look and suit your lifestyle. There is no right or wrong answer, but the consultation is an excellent time to ask questions and learn about the approach that will match your goals.

Are you a good candidate for a Breast Augmentation in Toronto?

Here’s a simple checklist that can help you determine if this is the right procedure for you. If you answer yes to one or more of these questions, give us a call- we’d love to talk about your body transformation.

  • Do you want larger breasts?
  • Do you want to fit your clothes, lingerie or swimwear better?
  • Do you have uneven breast sizes?
  • Did your breasts change over time due to weight loss, pregnancy, breastfeeding or age?
  • Are you in good, overall health?
  • Did your breasts not develop, or not grow evenly throughout puberty?
  • If you breastfed, have you stopped for at least four months?

Not sure?

Perhaps you’re still not sure if this is the correct procedure for you- we welcome you to reach out and set up a private consultation. Your plastic surgeon will listen to you and assess your breasts and skin then let you know how we can help you feel better about your figure. Often, our clients aren’t quite sure what they need, but they’re unsatisfied with their breasts- and that’s ok! We have multiple, customized approaches to enhancement for all body types, shapes and sizes. You can decide when you’re ready to choose what works for you.

What kind of breast implants can you choose?

We offer both silicone and saline breast implants. Our clients typically choose cohesive silicone gel implants; however, saline is still popular and provides a few benefits. Below, we’ll outline important characteristics for both options.

Saline Breast Implants

These are constructed from a soft, silicone shell which is filled with sterile, saline IV fluid once they are in the implant pocket. There is a small, self-sealing port on each saline implant which allows it to be filled by the plastic surgeon during the surgery. This feature also makes it possible to insert the empty saline implant through a tiny incision and will result in minimal scar visibility once healed.

Saline implants tend to be less expensive than silicone gel, but they may feel and appear slightly less natural than silicone as well. Very thin, small-breasted patients will be less likely to achieve excellent aesthetic results through the use of saline implants because the shell can ripple visibly, and water doesn’t move the way denser tissue does. This unnatural movement and shell contouring may be visible through the thin skin.

Silicone cohesive gel implants

The newest generation of silicone implants are all cohesive. The firmer of these are often referred to as “Gummy Bear” because the consistency of the gel is similar to the gummy candies. The more reactive, softer varieties are still semi-solid and not liquid, which dramatically reduces the risk of silicone moving out of the implant pocket in the case of a rupture. If you were to cut an implant in half, you’d see the cohesive gel stay in place, within the implant shell. While this is excellent for safety and longevity of silicone implants, it is recommended that you have regular breast exams because the rare event of a breach would be difficult to notice. Breast imaging such as ultrasound and MRI are helpful to assess an implant shell and pocket.

Silicone implants have skyrocketed in popularity since they were extensively tested, redesigned and brought to market in 2006. They move and react like real breast tissue, meaning they look and feel more natural, even under thin skin. They are less likely to show rippling than saline implants, but they do carry a slightly higher price tag. Silicone implants come pre-filled in an extensive array of sizes and projections. Whether you want a dramatic size increase or very subtle enhancement, there is a silicone gel implant suited to you and your body dimensions. They can be compressed very effectively during implantation and still only require an incision roughly 3-4 cm long.

What are the risks associated with breast augmentation?

Our plastic surgeons pride themselves on an honest, transparent approach that ensures our patients are well-informed and comfortable with their procedure choices. After all, your body and your health are of paramount importance for you, and us as well. We know that ultimately, each patient has a better surgical experience when they know what to expect and understand the risks and considerations related to their procedure.

No matter how routine and straightforward, every cosmetic surgery comes with inherent risks such as bleeding, infection or scarring. Some operations are more extensive, lengthy and complicated, so they may present higher risk factors. The individual patient, their health picture and influences outside the surgical centre will also influence how they heal, so it’s imperative that you have an open dialogue with your plastic surgeon about your lifestyle, medical conditions, mental and emotional health, and any medications or supplements you take.

We provide our patients with detailed instructions to guide them when recovering at home. We are also unique in that we offer 24/7 care post-operatively with the availability of overnight suites and the personal contact of an OR nurse to call on day or night. We virtually eliminate many risk factors for our patients because of the stringent surgical protocols we follow and the abundant, thorough aftercare we provide. When you’re recovering, all you need to do is relax, catch up on your reading and Netflix.

Are breast implants safe?

We believe breast augmentation in Toronto at Verso Surgery Centre, and today’s advanced medical devices are safer than ever before. However, there is always a slim possibility that a medical device can fail. In Canada, breast implants are rigorously tested and reinforced with multiple, durable shell layers to withstand impact and stress far beyond what they will encounter in most people’s bodies. Having said that, rare implant defects can occur, and trauma to the breast that damages tissue will also put the implant at risk.

The possibility of deflation or rupture increases by roughly 1% each year after the surgery, though many people will have their implants for a lifetime with no issues and no need for a replacement. There is no longer a set time for replacement and no expiry date. Most people who choose to have a second breast surgery do so for a change of size, a breast lift procedure, or to remove the implants that they’ve had for decades. Your plastic surgeon will discuss your long-term plans and expectations to help you make your decision.

Can I have any breasts that I want?

It may be hard for you to gauge just what is achievable for you. Many women considering breast augmentation in Toronto collect “wish pics” with great interest, highlighting the size, shape and breast characteristics they find the most appealing. Wish photos can be helpful to show your surgeon and describe your vision. However, they also mislead some people into thinking they can order any breasts they want, just like a product in a store. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way as we are all so unique and special in our anatomy and characteristics. You may be surprised to learn that your friend who had a BA at the same height and weight as you, had very different breasts and therefore different implants be are recommended for you. Patients often ask for a particular type of cleavage, or nipples in a specific position. Natural chest anatomy is wonderfully diverse, so we see clients with nipples far apart, low, or high. We treat women who have very little existing breast tissue and cleavage, and those who have close-set breasts. Some are perky; some naturally droop a little. Whatever the size and shape you present with, you should understand that a breast augmentation on its own will not dramatically alter your breast characteristics. If you have wide set nipples, for instance, the implants must be centred under them, and this means your breasts will remain a little far apart- without tight cleavage. Likewise, if you have minimal space on the breast under your nipples, it won’t be realistic for you to achieve full, bottom-heavy breasts with nipples that sit high on the breast mound.

Your skin elasticity, glandular tissue, nipple position and breast dimensions inform the selection of implant and the placement of its pocket. Your experienced breast augmentation plastic surgeon is a skilled artist who takes into account all your unique factors, and preferences, when creating a comprehensive surgical plan for you. They want to ensure your existing breasts look even better, and to encourage you with the real possibilities for enhancement available to you.

Let’s chat about your Toronto breast augmentation!

Communication is essential to ensure every cosmetic patient feels heard, and well-informed. We’ll never mislead or over-sell you on a procedure. You want to know what the real benefits and real limitations are when you choose cosmetic enhancements, so our experts spend considerable time discussing goals and expected outcomes with you, easing concerns and making your experience worry-free.

Our friendly staff will be happy to schedule your consultation with us. Our plastic surgeons are renowned for their innovative and advanced methods in cosmetic surgery. They partner with experienced and compassionate patient care coordinators to walk you through each step of your journey and ensure you not only look fabulous but feel great about your experience. We welcome your questions, and we look forward to meeting you.

HTML Snippets Powered By : XYZScripts.com