You totally forgot your hearing exam tomorrow, but that’s not very surprising, you’ve been really busy. Fortunately, you just got that reminder text from us, and you still have a few hours to prepare. So… what should you do?
You won’t have to stay up all night cramming for a hearing test like you did in school the night before a big exam. 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 test is really about.
Here are 7 simple ways to get yourself prepped and ready!
1. Create a list of your symptoms (and when they occur)
Hearing loss doesn’t manifest the same way for everybody all the time. There might be some symptoms that are obvious and others that are more discreet. So take a few notes on when your symptoms are most noticeable before you come see us. You can jot things down like:
- Is having phone conversations difficult? Record times when it’s more difficult to hear people than normal.
- During meetings at work, do you lose focus? Does this tend to occur in the morning? All day?
- Was it hard to hear the tv? How high is the volume? And do you have a more difficult time hearing at night?
- When you’re out in a busy restaurant, do you strain to keep up with conversations? If so, how frequently does that occur?
This kind of information is extremely useful for us. Take note of the day and time of these symptoms if you can. If you can’t, just note that they did happen.
2. Do some research on hearing aids
How much do you really know about hearing aids? You don’t want to make any decisions based on false information you might have heard someplace. An ideal time to get some accurate info is when we inform you that hearing aids would benefit you.
Knowing what kinds of hearing devices are out there and what your preferences may be can help speed along the process and help you get better information.
3. Go over your medical history
This is another instance when writing things down can help quicken the post-hearing-test-conversation. Before your appointment, you should take a little time to jot down your medical history. Write down major medical incidents and also minor ones. You should write down things like:
- Medications you’re currently taking.
- Medical equipment you might presently use.
- Allergies and reactions to medicines.
- Major or minor surgeries that you have undergone.
- Any history of sickness or health problems (you don’t have to note every cold, but anything that stands out).
4. Loud noisy environments should be avoided
If you have a hearing test scheduled and you go to a loud concert the night before, the outcome will be skewed. The results will be similarly impacted if you go to an airshow the day of your test. 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 an accurate reflection of the current state of your hearing.
5. Talk to your insurance ahead of time
It can be a bit confusing sorting out what portions of your visit will be covered by insurance. If your hearing impairment is part of a medical condition, some insurance plans will cover it. But other plans might not. You will be a lot more confident at your appointment if you get this all squared away before you come in. In some cases, 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. Ask someone to come with you
Bringing a trusted friend or loved one with you to a hearing appointment isn’t strictly necessary, but it can offer several benefits. Here are some of the most notable benefits:
- 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 remembering all of the information we give you if someone else is there with you.
- Even when you aren’t aware 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
It may be days or even weeks before you receive the results of many medical diagnostics. But that’s not the case with a hearing test. With a hearing exam, you will get the results right away.
And even better, we’ll help you understand what your results mean and how you can improve your overall hearing health. Perhaps that’s a hearing aid, maybe it’s some changes to your behavior, or some ear protection. You’ll know immediately either way.
So there’s no need to overthink it. But it is helpful, mainly for you, to be prepared!
