You’re a really busy person, so it’s reasonable that you totally forgot about the hearing exam you have scheduled for tomorrow. It’s a good thing we sent you a reminder text so you should have a few hours to prepare. So… what should you do?
Hearing tests aren’t like back in college or high school where you’d have to stay up all night to study for a test. Preparing for a hearing test is more about thinking over your symptoms and making sure you don’t forget anything. 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. Make a list of your symptoms (and when they occur)
Hearing loss doesn’t present the same way for everybody all the time. Some symptoms may be more prominent than others. So take a few notes on when your symptoms are most noticeable before your appointment. You can write things down like:
- Was it hard to hear the television? Do you have it cranked way up? And do you have a harder time hearing at night?
- When you’re in meetings at work, do you lose focus? What time during the day is this most prevalent?
- When you’re out in a crowded restaurant, do you struggle to hear conversations? 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 kind of information is really useful for us. If you can, note the time and day these instances occurred. If you can’t, just note that they did happen.
2. Get some info about hearing aids
How much do you actually know about hearing aids? It’s an important question because you don’t want to make any decisions based on what you presume. If we inform you a hearing aid would be worthwhile, that’s going to be a great opportunity 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. Consider your medical past
This is another instance when writing something down can help hasten the post-hearing-test-conversation. Write down your medical history before you visit us for your appointment. Include major medical occurrences and also minor ones. You should note things like:
- Operations you’ve undergone, both major or minor.
- Medication interactions and allergies.
- Any medical equipment you use.
- Medications you’re currently taking.
- Any history of illness or disease (you don’t have to note every cold, but anything that sticks out).
4. Stay away from loud sounds and noisy environments
If you have a hearing test scheduled and you go to a loud concert the night before, the results will be impacted. The results will be similarly skewed if you go to an airshow the day of your exam. The point here is that you need to avoid loud noises before you come in for your hearing test. This will help ensure your results are reliable and reflect your current hearing health.
5. Before your appointment, consult your insurance company
The way that health insurance and hearing tests work together can be… perplexing. 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 squared away before your appointment, so you’re more confident about what you can look forward to. In some situations, you can work directly with us to get answers about insurance. Otherwise, you can speak to your insurance company directly.
6. Ask somebody to come in with you
Bringing a loved one or trusted friend with you to a hearing appointment isn’t absolutely necessary, but it can provide several benefits. amongst the most notable benefits are the following:
- 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 determined by much deeper and more detailed information.
- You’re likely to cover a lot of info at your appointment. Having a dependable friend or loved one with you can help you remember all of that information later.
7. Be ready for your results
With many medical diagnostics, it might be days or weeks before you get your results. But that’s not the situation with a hearing exam. With a hearing test, you will get the results immediately.
And better yet, we’ll walk you through what your results mean and how you can improve your general hearing health. That might mean using some ear protection or some lifestyle changes or possibly hearing aids. You’ll know immediately either way.
So there’s no need to overthink it. But being ready will be helpful, particularly for you.
