Hearing sound and understanding speech are not always the same.
You may still hear that someone is speaking while missing certain words or details. This can become more noticeable in groups, restaurants, or other places with background noise.
Hearing Tests to Understand Why Conversations Are Getting Harder
Dr. Zarina Naizam, AuD, CCC-A helps patients understand changes in their hearing through comprehensive testing, speech evaluation, and clear, personalized recommendations
- Brooklyn & Queens, NY
Why Your Hearing May Be Changing
You may hear someone speaking but miss certain words.
Restaurants may feel harder to follow. The TV may need to be louder. You may ask family members to repeat themselves more often.
A comprehensive hearing evaluation helps identify what is changing and where the difficulty is coming from.
More Than a Basic Hearing Test
A comprehensive evaluation looks at more than whether you can hear a sound.
Dr. Naizam evaluates your hearing sensitivity, speech understanding, communication concerns, and the situations where you have the most difficulty.
When appropriate, Speech-in-Noise Testing can also help assess why conversations become harder when background noise is present.
Understanding What Your Results Actually Mean
After testing, Dr. Naizam reviews your results with you in clear, practical language.
The goal is to understand what is happening before deciding what should come next.
Depending on your results, recommendations may include monitoring, communication strategies, additional evaluation, hearing aids, or other appropriate hearing care.
Hearing Care Based on Your Everyday Life
Hearing difficulties can look different from one person to another.
You may struggle mostly in restaurants. Another patient may notice problems with television, phone conversations, or family gatherings.
Dr. Naizam considers where you are having difficulty so recommendations can reflect your actual communication needs.
Meet Zarina Naizam, AuD, CCC-A
Dr. Zarina Naizam is a licensed New York clinical audiologist with a Clinical Doctorate in Audiology from Salus University and a BS in Pre-Med from Long Island University.
She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology and is a Fellow of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology. Her work includes adult and pediatric hearing evaluations, hearing aid care, evidence-based testing, and clear patient education.
Her interest in audiology was also shaped by her mother’s experience with hearing loss. Seeing how appropriate hearing care helped her communicate and reconnect with others inspired Dr. Naizam’s career.
Our Location
ZN Audiology
-
Brooklyn
1389 East 18th St Brooklyn, NY 11230
-
Forest Hills
112-15 72nd Road, Suite LL4 Forest Hills, NY 11375
- Phoenix Office
- 7010 E. Chauncey Lane, Suite 120 - Phoenix, AZ 85054
- Phone: (480) 462-2716
Schedule Your Hearing Evaluation
Most consultations are covered by insurance.
If you do not have insurance, or if ZN Audiology does not accept your insurance plan, the consultation fee is $149.
Our team will contact you to confirm your appointment and guide you through the next steps.
Patient Stories
“Great overall experience”
Daniel was concerned about his hearing loss, worried that it could be something more ominous. He recalls, “Five years ago, I had difficulty hearing the TV. Had to raise the volume and people had to repeat themselves. I realized I had to get help. I had concern that it was a tumor and not the hearing loss.”
Hoping to find answers and reassurance, Daniel made an appointment with ZN Audiology. “The doctor was very thorough, and it was a great overall experience,” he says. Following his comprehensive hearing assessment, Daniel learned his challenges were strictly due to hearing loss and he was prescribed hearing aids.
Pleased with his devices, Daniel says, “I can hear again. It’s been great!” He notes his hearing aids make a “big difference” to his daily life but admits, “It takes time to get adjusted to those though.”
Daniel rates ZN Audiology a 10/10, adding that it feels “comfortable” and “very personable” when he visits the office. “I wish regular doctors were like her,” he shares.
To anyone contemplating an appointment, Daniel says, “Definitely go! As a matter of fact, I tell anyone to come here who has a problem hearing.”
- Daniel J. Conlisk
“Very thorough and friendly”
When Margaret became concerned about her hearing ability, she didn’t delay seeking help. She says, “I suspected I had a hearing loss and went to have my hearing checked. I was very upset and felt that I was getting old.”
At her appointment with ZN Audiology, Margaret found lots of support. She says her comprehensive hearing assessment was “very thorough” and her favorite part was meeting with “the doctor,” who she found to be “very thorough and friendly and very caring and concerned with my comfort and understanding.”
Margaret describes her experience with her new hearing aids as “extremely positive.” Rating ZN Audiology a 10/10, she encourages others, “Definitely go. There is nothing negative about hearing better.”
- Margaret M.
We Are So Thankful To Have Met You
Dr. Naizam was touched to receive such a heartfelt note and a beautiful gift from Tzipora’s family.
“It is such a joy to work with incredible people like Tzipora each and every day.”
- Dr. Naizam
“Great overall experience”
Daniel was concerned about his hearing loss, worried that it could be something more ominous. He recalls, “Five years ago, I had difficulty hearing the TV. Had to raise the volume and people had to repeat themselves. I realized I had to get help. I had concern that it was a tumor and not the hearing loss.”
Hoping to find answers and reassurance, Daniel made an appointment with ZN Audiology. “The doctor was very thorough, and it was a great overall experience,” he says. Following his comprehensive hearing assessment, Daniel learned his challenges were strictly due to hearing loss and he was prescribed hearing aids.
Pleased with his devices, Daniel says, “I can hear again. It’s been great!” He notes his hearing aids make a “big difference” to his daily life but admits, “It takes time to get adjusted to those though.”
Daniel rates ZN Audiology a 10/10, adding that it feels “comfortable” and “very personable” when he visits the office. “I wish regular doctors were like her,” he shares.
To anyone contemplating an appointment, Daniel says, “Definitely go! As a matter of fact, I tell anyone to come here who has a problem hearing.”
- Daniel J. Conlisk
“Very thorough and friendly”
When Margaret became concerned about her hearing ability, she didn’t delay seeking help. She says, “I suspected I had a hearing loss and went to have my hearing checked. I was very upset and felt that I was getting old.”
At her appointment with ZN Audiology, Margaret found lots of support. She says her comprehensive hearing assessment was “very thorough” and her favorite part was meeting with “the doctor,” who she found to be “very thorough and friendly and very caring and concerned with my comfort and understanding.”
Margaret describes her experience with her new hearing aids as “extremely positive.” Rating ZN Audiology a 10/10, she encourages others, “Definitely go. There is nothing negative about hearing better.”
- Margaret M.
We Are So Thankful To Have Met You
Dr. Naizam was touched to receive such a heartfelt note and a beautiful gift from Tzipora’s family.
“It is such a joy to work with incredible people like Tzipora each and every day.”
- Dr. Naizam
Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Naizam evaluates your hearing sensitivity, speech understanding, symptoms, and everyday communication difficulties.
When appropriate, additional testing such as Speech-in-Noise Testing can provide more information about how you understand conversations in challenging listening environments.
Background noise makes it more difficult to separate speech from surrounding sounds.
Some hearing difficulties may be much more noticeable in these environments than in a quiet room. Speech-in-Noise Testing can help evaluate how you understand speech when competing sounds are present.
No.
The first goal is to understand what type of hearing difficulty you have and how significant it is.
Dr. Naizam will review the findings and recommend the next step based on your individual results and communication needs.
Most consultations are covered by insurance, depending on your plan.
If you do not have insurance, or if ZN Audiology does not accept your insurance plan, the consultation fee is $149.
Brooklyn:
1389 East 18th St, Brooklyn, NY 11230
Forest Hills:
112-15 72nd Road, Suite LL4, Forest Hills, NY 11375
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