You’re a pretty busy person, so it’s understandable 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 have 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 attempting to remember everything you need to know about your symptoms. Getting the most out of your time with us is what preparing for your hearing test is really about.
Here are 7 simple ways to get yourself prepped and ready!
1. List out all of your symptoms and when they manifest
Hearing loss doesn’t manifest the same way for everybody all the time. There might be some symptoms that are apparent and others that are more subtle. So, before your appointment, it’s a good plan to begin taking a few notes on when your hearing loss is most significant. Some things you can write down include:
- Is it challenging to have conversations on the phone? Keep track of times when it’s more difficult to hear people than usual.
- When you’re in meetings at work, do you lose focus? What time during the day is this most prominent?
- Was it hard to hear the tv? Do you have it cranked way up? 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? Does that happen a lot?
This type of information is extremely useful for us. If you can, note the time and day these symptoms occurred. If you can’t, just note that they did happen.
2. Do some research on hearing aids
How much do you actually know about hearing aids? It’s a relevant question because you don’t want to make any decisions based on what you presume. An ideal opportunity to get some valid info is when we advise you that hearing aids would benefit you.
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. Review your medical history
This one will also help the process go smoother after diagnosis. Write down your medical history before you come in for your exam. Include major medical occurrences and also minor ones. You should write down things like:
- Allergies and reactions to medicines.
- Any medical apparatuses you use.
- What kind of medication you take.
- Operations you’ve had, both major or minor.
- Any history of sickness or health problems (you don’t need to note every cold, but anything that stands out).
4. Loud noisy settings should be shunned
If you go to a loud rock concert the day before your hearing assessment, it’s going to affect the outcome. Similarly, if you check-out an airshow the morning before your test, the results will not be reliable. The point here is that you need to steer clear of loud noises before you come in for your hearing exam. This will ensure the results are a correct reflection of the current state of your hearing.
5. Check with your insurance beforehand
The way that health insurance and hearing tests interact can be… perplexing. If your hearing loss is part of a medical problem, some insurance plans will cover it. But other plans might not. It’s a good idea to get all of this squared away before your appointment, so you’re more confident about what you can expect. In some instances, you can work directly with us to get answers about insurance. Otherwise, you can talk to your insurance company directly.
6. Bring a family member or friend in with you
There are some considerable benefits to bringing a friend or relative with you to your hearing exam, though it’s not entirely necessary. Here are several of the most notable benefits:
- You’re likely to cover a lot of info during your exam. Having a trusted friend or loved one with you can help you remember all of that information when you get home.
- You don’t always know when your hearing isn’t working right but it’s a safe bet your spouse or partner does! This means that we will have access to even more insight to help make a definitive diagnosis or exam.
7. Be ready for your results
It might be days or even weeks before you receive the results of many medical diagnostics. But that’s not the situation with a hearing test. Similar to the bubble-sheet tests that got fed through the scantron machine when you were in college, you get your results right away.
And even better, we’ll help you understand what your results mean and how you can enhance your general hearing health. Perhaps that’s a hearing aid, maybe it’s some changes to your lifestyle, or some ear protection. Either way, you’ll know it right away.
So you don’t have to overthink it. But being ready will be helpful, particularly for you.
