You’re a fairly busy person, so it’s understandable that you completely forgot about the hearing test you have scheduled for tomorrow. 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?
You won’t have to stay up all night cramming for a hearing test like you did in school the night before a big exam. With a hearing test, it’s more about attempting to remember everything you need to know about your symptoms. Getting the most out of your time with us is what preparing for your hearing exam is really about.
Get prepared with these 7 tips!
1. List out all of your symptoms and when they manifest
Hearing loss doesn’t manifest the same way for everyone all the time. There might be some symptoms that are obvious and others that are more subtle. So take a few notes on when your symptoms are most noticeable before your appointment. Some things you can write down include:
- When you’re out in a crowded restaurant, do you struggle to hear conversations? Does that happen a lot?
- Is it challenging to carry on conversations on the phone? Note times when understanding the person on the other end is more difficult.
- Was it hard to hear the tv? How loud is the volume? And do you have a more difficult time hearing at night?
- Do you find yourself losing concentration during meetings at work? Does this normally occur in the morning? All day?
We find this type of information very useful. Note the day and time of these symptoms if you can. If you can’t, just note that they did occur.
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 think you know. If we inform you a hearing aid would be beneficial, that’s would be a great moment to ask informed questions.
Knowing what kinds of hearing devices are available and what your preferences may be can help speed along the process and help you get better answers.
3. Go over your medical history
This one will also help the process go smoother after diagnosis. Before your appointment, you should take some time to write down your medical history. Write down major medical occurrences and also minor ones. You should note things like:
- Allergies and reactions to medicines.
- Any history of sickness or disease (you don’t have to note every cold, but anything that stands out).
- Medical devices you may currently be using.
- Major or minor surgeries that you have undergone.
- Medications you’re currently taking.
4. Avoid loud noises and noisy environments
If you attend a booming rock concert the night before your hearing test, it’s going to skew the outcome. The results will be similarly impacted if you go to an airshow the day of your exam. You can see where we’re going with this: you want to protect your ears from loud noises before your hearing test. This will ensure the results are an accurate reflection of the current state of your hearing.
5. Check with your insurance beforehand
It can be somewhat challenging sorting out what portions of your visit will be covered by insurance. Some plans might cover your hearing assessment, particularly if it’s part of a medical disorder. But other plans might not. You will be a lot more confident at your appointment if you get this all figured out before you come in. In some instances, you can work directly with us to get insurance answers. If we can’t, you will have to speak directly with your insurance company.
6. Bring a friend or family member in with you
There are some considerable benefits to bringing a friend or relative with you to your hearing test, though it’s not entirely necessary. Among the most notable advantages are the following:
- When you’re at your appointment, a lot of information will be discussed. Having a dependable friend or family member with you can help you remember all of that information later.
- You don’t always recognize when your hearing isn’t working right but it’s a safe bet your spouse or partner does! This means that we will have access to even more insight to help make a precise diagnosis or exam.
7. The results will come fairly quickly
With many medical diagnostics, it could be days or weeks before you get your diagnosis. But that’s not the situation with a hearing test. With a hearing exam, you will get the results immediately.
And what’s even better, we’ll show you how to enhance your general hearing health and help you understand what your results mean. That might mean utilizing some ear protection or some behavioral changes or maybe hearing aids. You’ll know immediately either way.
So there’s no need to overthink it. But being ready will be helpful, especially for you.