Blue Ridge Hearing and Balance Clinic - 

25 years and going strong!

Recent article published by the Bluefield Daily Telegraph

What started as a vision and little else has evolved into one of the country’s leading centers for the treatment of hearing and balance disorders. Blue Ridge Hearing and Balance Clinic (known as Princeton Audiology Clinic in the early years) was simply an idea brought to reality by Dr. Alan Desmond, Audiologist, and his partners, ENT specialists Dr. Lee Smith and Dr. Rob Jones. Desmond recalls “When Dr. Smith and I met and discussed our vision, it was remarkable how in synch we were. We both had the same idea of what a hearing and balance clinic could be and should be.” The clinic started in Princeton in 1982, and in 1998 opened a second office in Bluefield associated with Dr. Brian Collie, ENT specialist.

Treatments for both hearing and balance disorders have improved dramatically since the clinic opened, and Blue Ridge Hearing and Balance has made it a priority to offer the latest and best treatments to their patients. “Currently, we are one of only two comprehensive balance clinics in the state, the other is in Huntington.” says Desmond. “All students in the doctoral audiology program at WVU are required to spend a few days in our clinic to learn procedures that are not available elsewhere in the state.” Desmond also serves as a professor in the WVU audiology program and teaches the courses on diagnosis and treatment of dizziness. His textbook on the treatment of dizziness has been published internationally and is used in several doctoral programs.

A Fall Prevention Clinic is currently being developed in conjunction with several Physical Therapists from the region. “We find that most older people with complaints of instability and unsteadiness can be helped once the cause for the complaint is identified. Typically, it is not as simple as an isolated inner ear disorder. That is why the contribution of physical therapy is so important.” Said Desmond. “We just received a balance testing unit on loan that was most recently used by NASA to test astronauts after spending time in zero gravity. The manufacturers loaned it us because they are excited about some of the tools we have developed here to reduce the risk of falls in the elderly.”

In contrast to the balance clinic, Desmond acknowledges that there are many local options available for the treatment of hearing loss. “While it is true that most people with long standing hearing loss require hearing aids, some hearing losses can be treated with medication or by simply cleaning out the ear. If you have your hearing tested by someone whose only treatment offered is hearing aids, you may not be offered an alternative treatment.”

Another consideration is the cost of today’s hearing aids. Jim Baer, doctoral student at Blue Ridge Hearing and Balance Clinic quoted a recently published study, “The cost for the type of hearing aids used ten years ago is pretty much the same now as it was then. More sophisticated digital technology, which is dramatically more effective and comfortable, can make the cost of current hearing aids seem a bit pricey.” Desmond pointed out that Blue Ridge Hearing and Balance Clinic, unlike most local hearing aid dispensers, is not a retailer, “I think some people assume that because of our training, facilities and location, our hearing aids must be more expensive than some other local dispensers. In reality, because of those reasons, and others, we typically charge 20 to 30 percent less than our competitors and national averages for comparable products. Additionally, we provide at no additional charge, the complete care package on all digital hearing aids, which includes three years of complete warranty and batteries. Even at these lower prices, digital hearing aids are a big investment, and we think it only makes sense seek out an established, well trained audiologist.”

Blue Ridge Hearing and Balance Clinic, at it’s two full time locations in Princeton and in Bluefield, has a staff of three Audiologists and two board certified hearing aid specialists, working in close association with Ear, Nose and Throat specialists Dr. Lee Smith, Dr. Robert Jones, and Dr. Brian Collie. As a final note, hearing aid specialist Holly Meadows commented “One of the best things about working here is that, whether someone just needs a broken battery door fixed on their hearing aid, all the way up to something that requires specialized medical treatment, we can accommodate any complaint about hearing or balance.”