About Us

Monica Wiser, M.A., CCC-A 

In 1994, Monica obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State University, Northridge in Communication Sciences and Disorders.  She graduated at the top of her class and was named Student of the Year by the National Center on Deafness.  In 1996, she obtained her Master’s Degree in Audiology at San Diego State University. Graduating with a 4.0 GPA, she was designated as the Outstanding Graduate for the Department of Communicative Disorders.  She completed her Clinical Fellowship Year at the V.A. Medical Center in Long Beach and received her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association in 1997. Monica has worked as a clinical audiologist for a private ENT practice, as the Staff Audiologist for a medical center, and as the Clinical Supervisor in a dispensing practice.  Her experience includes hearing testing, hearing aid fittings, Auditory Brainstem response testing, and Electonystagmography to assess balance disorders.  She has attended various continuing education courses including attending a seminar and three months of training at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles. Monica is a member of the American Speech Language Hearing Association, the South Carolina Academy of Audiology, and the Hearing Loss Association of America. She has published articles in the Lady's Island News, the Island News, and Care Magazine.

As an Audiologist for 16 years and as a person who has had a hearing loss all of my life, the care and treatment of people with hearing disorders is of great personal importance to me. Every person suffering from a hearing disorder deserves thorough, professional, compassionate treatment. My goal is to provide the highest standard of care to every patient.

---

Testimonials

"When I started to have difficulty hearing, I was crestfallen.  Hearing is so important in my life as a Jazz pianist and vocalist.  I visited several doctors and audiologists until I found Monica.  Her testing was thorough and unrushed.  Her manner was warm and reassuring and she found exactly the right combination to give me the “perfect” fit.—Teri Kopp, Hilton Head’s First Lady of Jazz

“I am very, very pleased with the attention Monica has given to me as well as the quality of the hearing aid she prescribed for me.  I was missing out on conversations at dinner parties and a friend recommended Monica.  She took good care of me and now I can be part of the party.” ---Doris Incas, Lady’s Island, SC

"My recent purchase of a pair of Phonak hearing aids as been a very pleasant and rewarding experience.

I have been using hearing aids for over 20 years and these are at least my fifth pair. Where no hearing aid is going to restore my hearing completely these are doing the best of any I have ever owned. I have been amazed at the improvements in hearing aids in the last few years.

The directional mics have greatly improved my ability to hear in noisy  situations such as restaurants and the ability to program them much more precisely to my individual hearing loss has made them much more effective under all conditions.. This is my first open ear hearing aid  and I love the comfort. I don’t even know they are there and the small size make them almost invisible.

Before I made this purchase I did a fair amount of research  on brands, features and price.  I feel I have purchased a quality device at a reasonable price and your service and support has been first class.

Keep up the good work."

Thanks,
Phil Young---Lady’s Island, SC

"Monica has been patiently and tirelessly working with me and my mother for nearly two years. She has gone above and beyond the services I ever expected for an audiologist to provide. Being a hearing aid wearer herself, she understands that we do not have cookie cutter hearing losses. I cannot thank Monica enough for all she has done for me to help get the very best hearing care possible."---Susan Scully, Walterboro, SC

"I have been wearing hearing aids for seven years and I have had the best results from Beaufort Audiology and I have been very pleased with my progress.  Also, Monica has become my friend.  I love her very much.  I would certainly recommend her to anyone who is having trouble hearing."  –Leila Stevens, Lady’s Island

What is an Audiologist?

AN AUDIOLOGIST is the professional who specializes in evaluating and treating people with hearing loss. Audiologists have extensive training and skills to evaluate the hearing of adults, infants and children of all ages. They conduct a wide variety of tests to determine the exact nature of an individual's hearing problem. Audiologists present a variety of treatment options to patients with hearing impairment. They may dispense and fit hearing aids, administer tests of balance to evaluate dizziness and provide hearing rehabilitation training. Audiologists refer patients to physicians when the hearing problem needs medical or surgical evaluation

Why should someone with hearing loss be evaluated by an audiologist?

Audiologists hold master's or doctoral degrees from accredited universities with special training in the prevention, identification, assessment and non-medical treatment of hearing disorders. Audiologists are required to complete a full-time internship and pass a demanding national competency examination. By virtue of their graduate education, professional certification and licensure, audiologists are the most qualified professionals to perform hearing tests, refer patients for medical treatment and provide hearing rehabilitation services.

An audiologist has a graduate degree, has completed a clinical internship, has passed a comprehensive national standardized examination and has professional credentials. Most states also have licensure for audiologists. These credentials will help you identify the most qualified person to provide your hearing care services. There are over 10,000 audiologists in the United States who provide hearing care services.

Audiologists provide you with:

• Comprehensive diagnostic hearing evaluations for persons of all ages.
• Selection, fitting and dispensing, of hearing aids and other assistive listening devices.
• Patient and family counseling about living with hearing loss.
• Hearing conservation programs to prevent hearing loss.
• Research and development of new evaluation techniques and rehabilitation strategies.

Why choose an audiologist for hearing aids?

Only audiologists are licensed to give a diagnostic hearing test.  It is important to have a diagnostic test prior to purchasing a hearing aid in order to determine if medical follow-up is necessary.  Hearing instrument specialists are only licensed to perform a hearing test solely for the purpose of fitting a hearing aid.

Most people with hearing loss can benefit greatly from hearing aids. Your audiologist can advise you if they are recommended for your hearing loss. Hearing aids alone may not be an instant answer to your hearing problems. They should be a part of a program of hearing rehabilitation that includes complete testing, careful counseling, instruction and follow-up.

Today's hearing aids are much more complex and potentially more useful than in the past. They are designed to closely match a person's hearing loss. To use them correctly requires a complete understanding of that loss. Such diagnosis is a specialty of audiologists.

Audiologists also specialize in counseling and rehabilitation. Expert counseling - before and after you obtain hearing aids - is vital to your success with hearing aids, as it takes time to adjust to amplification. Furthermore, there are many ways to improve the effectiveness of hearing aids. By choosing an audiologist as your hearing aid dispenser, you can work with the same expert for testing, fitting and hearing rehabilitation guidance.

Hearing loss may occur so gradually that the person is not aware that it is happening. The first step in identification of hearing loss is a comprehensive hearing evaluation by an audiologist.

Hearing Testing

Audiologists use specialized equipment to obtain accurate results about hearing loss. These tests are typically conducted in sound-treated rooms with calibrated equipment. The audiologist is trained to inspect the eardrum with an otoscope, perform limited ear wax removal, conduct diagnostic audiologic tests, and check for medically-related hearing problems. Hearing loss is caused by medical problems about 10% of the time. Audiologists are educated to recognize these medical problems and refer patients to ear, nose and throat physicians (known as otolaryngologists). Most persons with hearing impairment can benefit from the use of hearing aids, and audiologists are knowledgeable about the latest applications of hearing aid technology.

Hearing Services for Children

Good hearing is essential to the social and intellectual development of infants and young children. Audiologists test hearing and identify hearing loss in children of any age. This includes newborn and infant hearing screening and diagnostic hearing tests with young children. Audiologists provide hearing therapy and fit hearing aids on babies and young children with hearing loss.

Audiologists provide a full range of hearing and rehabilitative hearing services in private and public schools for students in all grades. Such services are essential to the development of speech, language and learning skills in children with hearing problems.

Hearing Services and Counseling

Audiologists are vitally concerned that every person, regardless of age, benefit from good hearing. Audiologists provide individual counseling to help those with hearing loss function more effectively in social, educational and occupational environments. It is a fact of life that we lose hearing acuity as we grow older, and that hearing problems are commonly associated with the elderly. Audiologists are committed to helping senior citizens hear better.

Hearing aids and assistive listening devices

Audiologists provide complete hearing aid services to clients with hearing problems. Audiologists are also experts with assistive listening equipment and personal alerting devices. Audiologists provide education and training so that persons with hearing impairment can benefit from amplification and communication devices. Audiologists dispense the majority of hearing aids in the United States. Audiologists use the most advanced, computerized procedures to individualize the fitting of hearing aids. Hearing aid options are thoroughly discussed with each potential user based on the results of a complete hearing aid test battery and the individual needs of the patient. Follow-up care and hearing aid accessories are routinely available from dispensing audiologists.

Hearing Conservation Programs

Prolonged exposure to loud noise causes permanent hearing loss. Because audiologists are concerned with the prevention of hearing loss, they are often involved in implementing programs to protect the hearing of individuals who are exposed to noisy industrial and recreational situations.

Hearing Research

Audiologists engage in a wide variety of research activities to develop new hearing assessment techniques and new rehabilitative technologies, particularly in the area of hearing aids. Research reports of audiologists can be found in the professional literature of medical and scientific journals. Audiologists write textbooks on hearing evaluation, hearing aids and the management of people with hearing loss. Audiologists help develop professional standards and are represented on the boards of national and governmental agencies.