You completely forgot your hearing test tomorrow, but that’s not really unusual, 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 awake all night cramming for a hearing test like you did in school the night before a big exam. Preparing for a hearing test is more about thinking over your symptoms and making certain you don’t forget anything. Essentially, getting ready for your hearing exam is really about making sure you get as much out of your time with us as you can.
Here are 7 simple ways to get prepped and ready!
1. Put together 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 pronounced than others. So take some notes on when your symptoms are most noticeable before you come see us. You can jot things down like:
- Is having phone conversations difficult? Note times when understanding the person on the other end is more difficult.
- When you’re out in a busy restaurant, do you struggle to keep up with conversations? Does that happen a lot?
- Did you have a difficult time hearing the TV? Do you have it turned way up? And do you experience that it’s more difficult to hear at night than in the morning?
- During meetings at work, do you lose focus? Does this tend to happen in the morning? All day?
This kind of information is really useful for us. If you can, note the time and date these symptoms occurred. If you can’t, just remember that they did occur.
2. Get some info about hearing aids
How much do you really know about hearing aids? It’s an important question because you don’t want to make any decisions based on what you think you know. If we tell you a hearing aid would be worthwhile, that’s would be a great moment to ask educated questions.
Knowing what kinds of hearing devices are available and what your preferences might be can help speed along the process and help you get better information.
3. Think about your medical past
This is another instance when writing something down can help hasten the post-hearing-test-discussion. Before your appointment, you should take a little time to write down your medical history. This should consist of both major and minor incidents. You should write down things like:
- Medical devices you might currently use.
- Surgeries you’ve had, both major or minor.
- Illness or diseases you’ve experienced that stick out in your mind.
- Allergies and reactions to medications.
- What kind of medication you take.
4. Stay away from loud sounds and noisy environments
If you attend a loud rock concert the day before your hearing test, it’s going to skew the outcome. The results will be similarly skewed if you go to an airshow the day of your test. The point here is that you should avoid loud noises before you come in for your hearing test. This will ensure the results are a reliable reflection of the current health of your hearing.
5. Before you come in, check with your insurance company
The way that health insurance and hearing tests work together can be… confusing. If your hearing loss is related to a medical condition, some insurance plans will cover it. But other plans may not. You will be a great deal more confident at your appointment if you get this all squared away before you come in. We can also help you in certain situations. If we can’t, you will have to speak directly with your insurance company.
6. Ask someone to come in with you
There are several important benefits to bringing a friend or relative with you to your hearing exam, though it’s not absolutely necessary. Here are several of the most notable benefits:
- You’re likely to go over a lot of info at your exam. When you get home, after the appointment, you will have an easier time remembering all of the information we give you if someone else is there with you.
- Even when you can’t tell 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 a precise diagnosis or exam.
7. Be prepared for your results
With many medical diagnostics, it may be days or weeks before you get your diagnosis. But that’s not the situation with a hearing exam. With a hearing test, you will get the results right away.
And what’s even better, we’ll show you how you can enhance your general hearing health and walk you through the meaning of your results. 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 being prepared will be helpful, especially for you.