You completely spaced your hearing test tomorrow, but that’s not really surprising, you’ve been really busy. Thankfully, you just received that reminder text from us, and you still have some time to prepare. So… what should you do?
You won’t need 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. In other words, preparing for your hearing test is really about making sure you get as much out of your time with us as you can.
Here are 7 easy ways to get prepped and ready!
1. List out all of your symptoms and when you experience them
The symptoms of hearing impairment vary from person to person and at different times. Some symptoms may be more pronounced than others. So, before your appointment, it’s a good plan to begin taking some notes on when your hearing loss is most pronounced. Some things you can list out include:
- Did you have a hard time hearing the TV? How high is the volume? 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 prominent?
- Is talking on the phone difficult? Take note of times when understanding the person on the other end is harder.
- When you’re out in a busy restaurant, do you strain to hear conversations? Does that occur frequently?
This type of information is extremely useful for us. Note the day and time of these symptoms if you can. At least observe the occurrence of the symptoms if you can’t remember the times.
2. Research hearing aids
How much do you actually know about hearing aids? You don’t want to make any decisions founded on false information you might have picked up somewhere. If we inform you a hearing aid would be worthwhile, that’s would be the perfect moment to ask educated questions.
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. Think about your medical past
This is another time when writing something down can help quicken the post-hearing-test-discussion. Write down your medical history before you visit us for your assessment. This should consist of both major and minor situations. You should write down things like:
- Surgeries you’ve undergone, both major or minor.
- Any medical apparatuses you use.
- Any history of illness or disease (you don’t have to note every cold, but anything that stands out).
- Medication interactions and allergies.
- Medications you’re currently taking.
4. Loud noisy settings should be shunned
If you have a hearing test scheduled and you attend a loud concert the night before, the results will be impacted. Similarly, if you check-out an airshow the morning before your test, the results will not be reliable. You can see where we’re going with this: you want to protect your ears from loud noises before your hearing exam. This will ensure the results are a reliable reflection of the current health of your hearing.
5. Talk to your insurance in advance
It can be a bit challenging sorting out what portions of your appointment will be covered by insurance. If your hearing loss is related to a medical problem, some insurance plans will cover it. But other plans might not. 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. If we can’t, you will have to speak directly with your insurance company.
6. Ask someone to come with you
Bringing a loved one or trusted friend with you to a hearing appointment isn’t absolutely necessary, but it can offer numerous benefits. Here are several of the most prominent benefits:
- When you’re at your appointment, a lot of information will be covered. When you get home, after the appointment, you will have an easier time recalling all of the information we give you if someone else is there with you.
- Even when you can’t tell that you have hearing loss, people close to you will absolutely be aware of it. So our exam and diagnosis will be based on much deeper and more comprehensive information.
7. Be ready for your results
It may be days or even weeks before you get 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 immediately.
And what’s even better, we’ll show you how to enhance your general hearing health and walk you through the meaning of your results. That might mean using some hearing protection or some lifestyle changes or perhaps hearing aids. You’ll know rather quickly either way.
So, you don’t have to cram for your hearing test. But being prepared will be helpful, particularly for you.