You totally spaced your hearing exam tomorrow, but that’s not really unusual, you’re 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?
You won’t have to stay awake all night preparing for a hearing test like you did in school the night before a big exam. Preparing for a hearing exam is more about thinking through your symptoms and making sure you’re not forgetting anything. Getting the most out of your time with us is what preparing for your hearing exam is really about.
Get prepared with these 7 tips!
1. Make a list of your symptoms (and when they happen)
Hearing loss doesn’t present the same way for everybody all the time. Some symptoms might be more dominant than others. So, before you come in, it’s a good idea to begin taking some notes on when your hearing loss is most significant. You can jot things down like:
- Was it hard to hear the television? Do you have it turned way up? And do you notice that it’s harder to hear at night than in the morning?
- When you’re out in a busy restaurant, do you struggle to hear conversations? Does that occur frequently?
- Is it frustrating to carry on conversations on the phone? Note times when understanding the person on the other end is more difficult.
- When you’re in meetings at work, do you lose focus? Does this normally happen in the morning? All day?
This kind of information is very useful for us. If you can, take note of the time and date these instances occurred. If you can’t, just note that they did occur.
2. Research hearing aids
How accurate is your knowledge about hearing aids? You don’t want to make any decisions based on false information you might have picked up someplace. If we tell you a hearing aid would be helpful, that’s going to be an ideal moment to ask informed questions.
Knowing what kinds of hearing devices are out there and what your preferences might be can help speed up the process and help you get better answers.
3. Consider your medical past
This is another moment when writing things down can help hasten the post-hearing-test-conversation. Write down your medical history before you visit us for your assessment. This should include both major and minor situations. You should note things like:
- Medications you’re currently taking.
- Allergies and reactions to medications.
- Sickness or diseases you’ve had that stick out in your mind.
- Any medical apparatuses you use.
- Major or minor surgeries 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. Similarly, if you go to an airshow the morning before your test, the results will not be correct. The point here is that you should avoid loud noises before you come in for your hearing exam. This will help ensure your results are reliable and reflect your current hearing health.
5. Check with your insurance ahead of time
The way that health insurance and hearing tests work together can be… perplexing. If your hearing loss is part of a medical problem, some insurance plans will cover it. But other plans might not. You will be far 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 numerous benefits. Among the most notable advantages are the following:
- When you’re at your appointment, a lot of information will be discussed. Having a trusted friend or loved one with you can help you remember all of that information when you get home.
- Even when you aren’t aware 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 insight to help make an accurate 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 test. Just like the bubble-sheet tests that got fed through the scantron machine when you were in college, you get your results right away.
And better yet, we’ll walk you through what your results mean and how you can enhance your overall hearing health. Maybe that’s a hearing aid, maybe it’s some changes to your lifestyle, or some ear protection. Either way, you’ll know it immediately.
So, you won’t need to cram for your hearing exam. But it is helpful, mainly for you, to be prepared!