You’re a pretty busy person, so it’s understandable that you completely forgot about the hearing exam you have scheduled for tomorrow. It’s a good thing we sent you a reminder text so you should have a few hours 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 pull an all-nighter to study for an exam. Preparing for a hearing exam is more about thinking over your symptoms and making sure you don’t forget anything. 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. Create a list of your symptoms (and when they happen)
The symptoms of hearing impairment differ from person to person and at different times. Some symptoms might be more prominent than others. So take some notes on when your symptoms are most noticeable before your appointment. You can write things down like:
- Did you have trouble making out a conversation while dining out in a busy restaurant? If so, how often does that occur?
- When you’re in meetings at work, do you lose focus? What time during the day is this most prominent?
- Did you have a difficult time hearing the TV? How loud is the volume? And do you have a more difficult time hearing at night?
- Is having phone conversations difficult? Monitor times when it’s harder to hear people than normal.
We find this kind of information very useful. If you can, note the time and date these instances occurred. At least note the occurrence of the symptoms if you can’t remember the times.
2. Research hearing aids
How accurate is your knowledge about hearing aids? It’s a relevant 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 worthwhile, that’s going to be the perfect time to ask informed questions.
You will get better information and the process will be accelerated when you know what kinds of hearing devices are available and determine what your preferences are.
3. Think about your medical past
This is another moment when writing something down can help speed up the post-hearing-test-discussion. Write down your medical history before you come in for your assessment. Include major medical occurrences and also minor ones. Here are a few examples:
- Any history of illness or disease (you don’t need to note every cold, but anything that stands out).
- What kind of medication you take.
- Major or minor surgical procedures that you have had.
- Medical equipment you might currently use.
- Medication interactions and allergies.
4. Stay away from loud noises and noisy settings
If you have a hearing test scheduled and you go to a loud concert the night before, the outcome will be impacted. The results will be similarly impacted if you attend an airshow the day of your test. You can see where we’re going with this: you want to protect your ears from loud noises before your hearing exam. This will help ensure your results are accurate and reveal your current hearing health.
5. Before your appointment, consult your insurance company
It can be somewhat confusing sorting out what parts of your appointment will be covered by insurance. Some plans may cover your hearing test, especially if it’s part of a medical disorder. But not all plans will. It’s a good idea to get all of this squared away before your appointment, so you’re more confident about what you can look forward to. We can also help you in certain cases. If we can’t, you will have to speak directly with your insurance company.
6. Ask someone to come with you
Bringing a trusted friend or loved one with you to a hearing appointment isn’t strictly necessary, but it can offer several advantages. Here are some of the most prominent advantages:
- Even when you can’t tell that you have hearing loss, people close to you will certainly be aware of it. So our test and diagnosis will be determined by much deeper and more comprehensive information.
- When you’re at your appointment, a lot of information will be discussed. Having a trusted friend or family member with you can help you remember all of that information when you get home.
7. The results will come fairly quickly
It may be days or even weeks before you get the results of many medical diagnostics. But with a hearing exam, that’s not the situation. Just like the bubble-sheet tests that got fed through the scantron machine when you were in college, you get your results right away.
And what’s even better, we’ll show you how to enhance your general hearing health and help you understand what your results mean. Maybe 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, you won’t need to cram for your hearing test. But it is helpful, mostly for you, to be prepared!