You totally forgot your hearing test tomorrow, but that’s not really surprising, you’ve been very busy. It’s a good thing we sent you a reminder text so you should have time to prepare. So what should I do to get ready?
Hearing exams aren’t like those days in college or high school where you’d have to pull an all-nighter to study for a test. With a hearing exam, it’s more about trying to remember everything you need to know about your symptoms. Essentially, preparing for your hearing exam is really about ensuring you get as much out of your time with us as you can.
Here are 7 easy ways to get prepped and ready!
1. List out all of your symptoms and when they manifest
The symptoms of hearing impairment differ from person to person and at different times. 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 pronounced before you come see us. Some things you can list out include:
- Is it a challenge to carry on conversations on the phone? Monitor times when it’s more difficult to understand people than normal.
- When you’re in meetings at work, do you lose focus? What time during the day is this most prominent?
- Did you have trouble hearing a conversation while eating out in a crowded restaurant? Does that occur a lot?
- Was it difficult to hear the television? How loud is the volume? And do you have a more difficult time hearing at night?
This type of information is extremely useful for us. If you can, take note of the time and day these instances occurred. At least note the occurrence of the symptoms if you can’t record the times.
2. Do some research on hearing aids
How complete is your knowledge about hearing aids? You don’t want to make any decisions founded on false information you might have heard someplace. If we inform you a hearing aid would be helpful, that’s going to be a great time to ask educated questions.
Knowing what types 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 faster after your appointment. Before your appointment, you should take some time to jot down your medical history. Include major medical occurrences and also minor ones. Here are some examples:
- Medication interactions and allergies.
- Major or minor surgeries that you have undergone.
- Medications you’re currently taking.
- Sickness or diseases you’ve had that stick out in your mind.
- Any medical apparatuses you use.
4. Loud noisy environments should be avoided
If you go to a loud rock concert the night before your hearing test, it’s going to affect the results Likewise, if you go to an airshow the morning before your exam, the results will not be accurate. 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 accurate and reflect your current hearing health.
5. Before you come in, consult your insurance company
The way that health insurance and hearing tests interact can be… perplexing. If your hearing loss is related to a medical problem, some insurance plans will cover it. But not all plans will. You will be a great deal more confident at your appointment if you get this all squared away before you come in. We can also help you in some cases. 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 significant benefits to bringing a relative or friend with you to your hearing exam, though it’s not entirely necessary. Among the most notable benefits are the following:
- You’re likely to cover a lot of information at your appointment. 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 certainly be aware of it. This means that we will have access to even more information to help make an accurate diagnosis or exam.
7. Be prepared for your results
It could be days or even weeks before you receive the results of many medical diagnostics. But that’s not the case with a hearing exam. Similar to the bubble-sheet tests that were fed through the scantron machine when you were in college, you get your results immediately.
And better yet, we’ll help you understand what your results mean and how you can enhance your overall hearing health. Perhaps that’s a hearing aid, maybe it’s some changes to your lifestyle, or some ear protection. You’ll know rather quickly either way.
So you don’t have to overthink it. But it is helpful, mainly for you, to be prepared!
