You’re a fairly 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 you do?
You won’t have to stay awake all night preparing for a hearing test like you did in school the night before a big exam. Getting ready for a hearing exam is more about thinking over your symptoms and making certain 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 using 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. Some symptoms might be more prominent than others. So, before you come in, it’s a good plan to begin taking some notes on when your hearing loss is most pronounced. You can write things down like:
- During meetings at work, do you lose focus? Does this normally happen in the morning? All day?
- Did you have difficulty following a conversation while dining out in a crowded restaurant? Does that happen a lot?
- Is it frustrating to carry on conversations on the phone? Note times when hearing the person on the other end is harder.
- Was it hard to hear the tv? How loud is the volume? And do you experience that it’s more difficult to hear at night than in the morning?
We find this kind of information very helpful. 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 much do you actually know about hearing aids? You don’t want to make any decisions founded on false information you may have picked up someplace. If we inform you a hearing aid would be beneficial, that’s would be an ideal moment 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 understand what your preferences are.
3. Consider your medical past
This is another moment when writing something down can help hasten the post-hearing-test-conversation. Write down your medical history before you come in for your assessment. Write down major medical incidents and also minor ones. You should note things like:
- Medication interactions and allergies.
- Medications you’re currently taking.
- Illness or diseases you’ve had that stick out in your mind.
- Major or minor surgical procedures that you have undergone.
- Any medical apparatuses you use.
4. Stay away from loud sounds and noisy settings
If you attend a booming rock concert the day before your hearing test, it’s going to impact the results Likewise, if you go to an airshow the morning before your exam, the results will not be accurate. You can see where we’re going with this: you want to safeguard your ears from loud noises before your hearing assessment. This will ensure the results are a correct reflection of the current state of your hearing.
5. Before your appointment, check with your insurance company
The way that health insurance and hearing tests work together can be… confusing. Some plans might cover your hearing test, especially if it’s part of a medical disorder. But other plans may not. It’s a good plan to get all of this figured out before your appointment, so you’re more confident about what you can look forward to. In some situations, you can work directly with us to get answers about insurance. If we can’t, you will need to speak directly with your insurance company.
6. Bring a friend or family member in with you
Bringing a trusted friend or loved one with you to a hearing appointment isn’t strictly necessary, but it can present numerous benefits. Here are several of the most prominent advantages:
- You’re likely to cover a lot of information at your exam. Having a dependable friend or loved one with you can help you remember all of that information when you get home.
- Even when you aren’t aware that you have hearing loss, people close to you will certainly be aware of it. This means that we will have access to even more insight to help make a definitive diagnosis or exam.
7. Be prepared for your results
It might be days or even weeks before you get the results of many medical diagnostics. But with a hearing exam, that’s not the case. With a hearing exam, you will get the results immediately.
And even better, we’ll walk you through what your results mean and how you can improve your general hearing health. That might mean using some hearing protection or some lifestyle changes or perhaps hearing aids. You’ll know rather quickly either way.
So there’s no need to overthink it. But being ready will be helpful, especially for you.
