You completely forgot your hearing test tomorrow, but that’s not really unusual, you’ve been really busy. Fortunately, you just got that reminder text from us, and you still have some time to prepare. So what should I do to get ready?
Hearing tests aren’t like those days in college or high school where you’d have to stay up all night to study for an exam. Preparing for a hearing exam is more about thinking through your symptoms and making certain you don’t forget anything. Essentially, preparing for your hearing exam is really about ensuring you get as much out of your time with us as possible.
Get prepared using these 7 tips!
1. Make a list of your symptoms (and when they occur)
Hearing loss doesn’t manifest the same way for everybody all the time. There might be some symptoms that are obvious and others that are more subtle. So, before your appointment, it’s a good plan to start taking a few notes on when your hearing loss is most pronounced. Some things you can list out include:
- Do you find yourself losing concentration during meetings at work? Does this tend to happen in the morning? All day?
- Did you have a difficult time hearing the TV? How loud is the volume? And do you have a harder time hearing at night?
- Did you have trouble making out a conversation while dining out in a busy restaurant? Does that occur a lot?
- Is it frustrating to have conversations on the phone? Take note of times when hearing the person on the other end is more difficult.
This kind of information is very useful for us. If you can, take note of the time and day these instances occurred. If you can’t, just note that they did happen.
2. Research hearing aids
How accurate is your knowledge about hearing aids? It’s an important question because you don’t want to make any decisions influenced by what you presume. If we tell you a hearing aid would be worthwhile, that’s would be the perfect opportunity to ask educated questions.
Knowing what kinds of hearing devices are out there and what your preferences might be can help speed along the process and help you get better answers.
3. Think about your medical past
This one will also help the process go faster after diagnosis. Before your appointment, you should take some time to jot down your medical history. Include major medical incidents and also minor ones. You should note things like:
- Medical equipment you may currently use.
- Medication interactions and allergies.
- Major or minor surgical procedures that you have undergone.
- Any history of illness or health problems (you don’t need to note every cold, but anything that sticks out).
- Medications you’re currently taking.
4. Loud noisy settings should be avoided
If you go to a loud rock concert the day before your hearing assessment, it’s going to affect the outcome. The results will be similarly impacted if you go to an airshow the day of your test. The point here is that you need to avoid loud noises before you come in for your hearing exam. This will help ensure your results are accurate and reveal your current hearing health.
5. Talk to your insurance in advance
It can be somewhat challenging sorting out what parts of your appointment will be covered by insurance. If your hearing impairment is part of a medical problem, some insurance plans will cover it. But other plans may not. It’s a good idea to get all of this squared away before your appointment, so you’re more confident about what you can expect. We can also help you in some instances. If we can’t, you will have to speak directly with your insurance company.
6. Ask someone to come in with you
Bringing a loved one or trusted friend with you to a hearing appointment isn’t strictly necessary, but it can present several advantages. amongst the most notable benefits are the following:
- Even when you can’t tell that you have hearing loss, people close to you will absolutely be aware of it. This means that we will have access to even more information to help make a definitive diagnosis or exam.
- When you’re at your exam, a lot of information will be covered. Later, after the appointment, you will have an easier time remembering all of the information we give you if somebody else is there with you.
7. Be ready for your results
It could be days or even weeks before you receive the results of many medical diagnostics. But that’s not the situation with a hearing exam. With a hearing test, you will get the results right away.
And even better, we’ll walk you through what your results mean and how you can improve your general hearing health. Perhaps that’s a hearing aid, maybe it’s some changes to your behavior, or some ear protection. You’ll know rather quickly either way.
So there’s no need to overthink it. But being prepared will be helpful, particularly for you.