You completely spaced your hearing exam tomorrow, but that’s not really surprising, you’re really busy. It’s a good thing we sent out a reminder text so you should have a few hours to prepare. So how should I get ready?
Hearing tests aren’t like back in college or high school where you’d have to pull an all-nighter to study for a test. Preparing 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 getting ready for your hearing exam is really about.
Get prepared with these 7 tips!
1. Create a list of your symptoms (and when they occur)
Hearing loss doesn’t present the same way for everyone all the time. Some symptoms may be more prominent than others. So take some notes on when your symptoms are most pronounced before you come see us. You can write things down like:
- Did you have a difficult time hearing the TV? Do you have it cranked way up? And do you have a harder time hearing at night?
- Is it frustrating to have conversations on the phone? Take note of times when hearing the person on the other end is harder.
- When you’re out in a crowded restaurant, do you struggle to hear conversations? Does that happen frequently?
- Do you find yourself losing concentration during meetings at work? Does this tend to occur in the morning? All day?
This kind of information is really useful for us. If you can, note the time and date these symptoms occurred. If you can’t, just remember that they did occur.
2. Get some information about hearing aids
How complete is your knowledge about hearing aids? It’s an important question because you don’t want to make any decisions based on what you think you know. If we inform you a hearing aid would be helpful, that’s would be an ideal moment to ask informed questions.
Knowing what kinds of hearing devices are available and what your preferences might be can help speed up the process and help you get better answers.
3. Review your medical history
This is another moment when writing something down can help quicken the post-hearing-test-discussion. Write down your medical history before you visit us for your assessment. This should include both major and minor situations. Here are a few examples:
- Major or minor surgical procedures that you have had.
- Allergies and reactions to medications.
- Any history of sickness or disease (you don’t have to note every cold, but anything that stands out).
- Medications you’re currently taking.
- Medical equipment you might presently be using.
4. Stay away from loud noises and noisy environments
If you have a hearing assessment scheduled and you attend a loud concert the night before, the outcome will be impacted. The results will be similarly impacted if you go to an airshow the day of your exam. The point here is that you need to steer clear of loud noises before you come in for your hearing exam. This will help ensure your results are reliable and reveal your current hearing health.
5. Before your appointment, talk to your insurance company
The way that health insurance and hearing tests interact can be… bewildering. Some plans may cover your hearing test, especially if it’s part of a medical condition. But not all plans will. It’s a good idea to get all of this figured out before your appointment, so you’re more confident about what you can expect. We can also help you in certain instances. Otherwise, you can speak to your insurance company directly.
6. Ask somebody to come in with you
Bringing a loved one or trusted friend with you to a hearing appointment isn’t absolutely necessary, but it can provide several benefits. amongst the most notable benefits are the following:
- You’re likely to go over a lot of information during your exam. Later, after the appointment, you will have an easier time recalling all of the information we give you if someone else is there with you.
- You don’t always detect when your hearing isn’t functioning correctly but it’s a safe bet your spouse or partner does! This means that we will have access to even more information to help make a precise diagnosis or exam.
7. The results will come fairly quickly
It may be days or even weeks before you get the results of many medical diagnostics. But that’s not the case with a hearing exam. With a hearing test, you will get the results right away.
And what’s even better, we’ll show you how to improve your general hearing health and help you understand what your results mean. 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 it is helpful, mostly for you, to be prepared!