You’re a pretty busy person, so it’s reasonable that you completely forgot about the hearing exam you have scheduled for tomorrow. 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?
You won’t need to stay up all night preparing for a hearing test like you did in school the night before a big exam. With a hearing exam, it’s more about trying to remember everything you need to know about your symptoms. Essentially, preparing for your hearing test is really about ensuring you get as much out of your time with us as possible.
Here are 7 easy ways to get yourself prepped and ready!
1. Put together a list of your symptoms (and when they manifest)
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 you come see us. You can jot things down like:
- When you’re in meetings at work, do you lose focus? Does this normally occur in the morning? All day?
- Did you have a hard time hearing the TV? How high is the volume? And do you experience that it’s harder to hear at night than in the morning?
- Did you have trouble following a conversation while dining out in a packed restaurant? If so, how often does that take place?
- Is having phone conversations difficult? Take note of times when hearing the person on the other end is more difficult.
This type of information is very useful for us. If you can, note the time and day these symptoms occurred. If you can’t, just remember that they did occur.
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 picked up someplace. If we inform you a hearing aid would be beneficial, that’s going to be an ideal time to ask educated questions.
You will get better answers and the process will be expedited when you know what kinds of hearing devices are available and determine what your preferences are.
3. Think about your medical past
This one will also help the process go smoother after diagnosis. Write down your medical history before you visit us for your assessment. This should include both major and minor incidents. You should write down things like:
- Allergies and reactions to medications.
- Any history of illness or disease (you don’t have to note every cold, but anything that stands out).
- Medical equipment you may presently be using.
- Medications you’re currently taking.
- Major or minor surgical procedures that you have had.
4. Loud noisy settings should be shunned
If you go to a loud rock concert the day before your hearing test, it’s going to affect the outcome. Likewise, if you go to an airshow the morning before your test, the results will not be correct. The point here is that you need to steer clear of loud noises before you come in for your hearing test. This will ensure the results are a reliable reflection of the current state of your hearing.
5. Consult your insurance in advance
It can be somewhat confusing sorting out what parts of your visit will be covered by insurance. If your hearing loss is part of a medical condition, some insurance plans will cover it. But not all plans will. 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 instances, you can work directly with us to get answers about insurance. 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 advantages to bringing a relative or friend with you to your hearing test, though it’s not absolutely necessary. amongst the most prominent advantages are the following:
- When you’re at your exam, a lot of information will be covered. Having a trusted friend or family member with you can help you remember all of that information when you get home.
- Even when you can’t tell that you have hearing impairment, people close to you will absolutely be aware of it. 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
With many medical diagnostics, it might be days or weeks before you get your results. But with a hearing test, that’s not the case. With a hearing test, you will get the results immediately.
And better yet, we’ll help you understand what your results mean and how you can enhance your overall hearing health. That might mean using some hearing protection or some behavioral changes or perhaps hearing aids. You’ll know immediately either way.
So, you don’t have to cram for your hearing test. But being ready will be helpful, especially for you.