You totally forgot your hearing exam tomorrow, but that’s not very surprising, you’ve been very busy. Fortunately, you just received 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 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 don’t forget anything. 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 everyone all the time. There may be some symptoms that are apparent and others that are more discreet. So, before you come in, it’s a good idea to start taking some notes on when your hearing loss is most significant. Some things you can list out include:
- When you’re out in a crowded restaurant, do you struggle to keep up with conversations? If so, how often does that happen?
- When you’re in meetings at work, do you lose focus? What time during the day is this most prominent?
- Is it a challenge to carry on conversations on the phone? Take note of times when understanding the person on the other end is harder.
- Was it difficult to hear the television? Do you have it turned way up? And do you experience that it’s more difficult to hear later in the evening than in the morning?
This type of information is extremely useful for us. Note the day and time of these symptoms if possible. If you can’t, just remember that they did occur.
2. Do some research on hearing aids
How much do you really know about hearing aids? It’s a relevant question because you don’t want to make any decisions influenced by what you think you know. If we inform you a hearing aid would be beneficial, that’s going to be an ideal time to ask informed questions.
You will get better answers and the process will be accelerated when you know what kinds of hearing devices are available and understand what your preferences are.
3. Review your medical history
This one will also help the process go faster after diagnosis. Write down your medical history before you visit us for your exam. This should consist of both major and minor incidents. Here are a few examples:
- What kind of medication you take.
- Any history of sickness or disease (you don’t need to note every cold, but anything that sticks out).
- Any medical apparatuses you use.
- Allergies and reactions to medications.
- Surgeries you’ve undergone, both major or minor.
4. Loud noisy environments should be shunned
If you have a hearing test scheduled and you attend a loud concert the night before, the results will be skewed. Similarly, if you check-out an airshow the morning before your exam, the results will not be accurate. You can see where we’re going with this: you want to safeguard your ears from loud noises before your hearing assessment. This will help ensure your results are accurate and reflect your current hearing health.
5. Before you come in, check with your insurance company
It can be somewhat challenging sorting out what portions 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 idea to get all of this figured out before your appointment, so you’re more confident about what you can look forward to. We can also help you in certain cases. Otherwise, you can speak to your insurance company directly.
6. Ask somebody 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 advantages. Here are some of the most prominent advantages:
- You don’t always detect when your hearing isn’t working right but it’s a safe bet your spouse or partner does! So our exam and diagnosis will be based on much deeper and more detailed information.
- You’re likely to cover a lot of information during your exam. When you get home, after the appointment, you will have an easier time recalling all of the information we give you if somebody else is there with you.
7. The results will come fairly quickly
With many medical diagnostics, it might be days or weeks before you get your results. But that’s not the situation with a hearing test. With a hearing test, you will get the results immediately.
And even better, we’ll walk you through what your results mean and how you can improve your general hearing health. Maybe that’s a hearing aid, maybe it’s some changes to your lifestyle, or some ear protection. You’ll know immediately either way.
So, you don’t have to cram for your hearing test. But being prepared will be helpful, particularly for you.