You completely forgot your hearing exam tomorrow, but that’s not very unusual, you’ve been very busy. It’s a good thing we sent out a reminder text so you should have 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 a test. With a hearing test, it’s more about attempting to remember everything you need to know regarding your symptoms. Getting the most out of your time with us is what getting ready for your hearing exam is really about.
Get prepared using these 7 tips!
1. Create a list of your symptoms (and when they happen)
Hearing loss doesn’t manifest the same way for everybody all the time. Some symptoms may be more dominant than others. So take some notes on when your symptoms are most noticeable before your appointment. You can write things down like:
- During meetings at work, do you lose focus? What time during the day is this most prevalent?
- Did you have trouble making out a conversation while dining out in a busy restaurant? Does that happen a lot?
- Is it a challenge to have conversations on the phone? Take note of times when hearing the person on the other end is more difficult.
- Did you have a hard time hearing the TV? How loud is the volume? And do you have a more difficult time hearing at night?
We find this kind of information very useful. Note the day and time of these symptoms if possible. At least observe the occurrence of the symptoms if you can’t remember the times.
2. Research hearing aids
How complete is your knowledge about hearing aids? It’s a relevant question because you don’t want to make any decisions influenced by what you presume. An ideal time to get some valid info is when we advise you that hearing aids would help you.
Knowing what types of hearing devices are available 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 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. Write down major medical occurrences and also minor ones. Here are some examples:
- Allergies and reactions to medications.
- What kind of medication you take.
- Sickness or diseases you’ve experienced that stand out in your mind.
- Operations you’ve had, both major or minor.
- Medical devices you might currently use.
4. Loud noisy environments should be avoided
If you have a hearing assessment scheduled and you attend a loud concert the night before, the outcome will be skewed. Likewise, if you check-out an airshow the morning before your exam, the results will not be accurate. The point here is that you should steer clear of loud noises before you come in for your hearing exam. This will ensure the results are an accurate reflection of the current health of your hearing.
5. Before you come in, talk to your insurance company
The way that health insurance and hearing tests interact can be… confusing. If your hearing loss is related to a medical condition, some insurance plans will cover it. But other plans may not. You will be a great deal more confident at your appointment if you get this all figured out before you come in. In some cases, you can work directly with us to get insurance answers. Otherwise, you can speak to your insurance company directly.
6. Bring a friend or family member in with you
There are some important benefits to bringing a relative or friend with you to your hearing exam, though it’s not absolutely necessary. amongst the most notable benefits are the following:
- When you’re at your appointment, a lot of information will be discussed. When you get home, after the appointment, you will have an easier time recalling all of the information we give you if somebody else is there with you.
- Even when you can’t tell that you have hearing impairment, people close to you will absolutely be aware of it. So our test and diagnosis will be based on much deeper and more detailed information.
7. The results will come fairly quickly
With many medical diagnostics, it could be days or weeks before you get your diagnosis. But with a hearing exam, that’s not the situation. With a hearing test, you will get the 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 hearing protection. You’ll know rather quickly either way.
So, you don’t have to cram for your hearing exam. But being prepared will be helpful, particularly for you.