You completely forgot your hearing exam tomorrow, but that’s not really unusual, you’re really busy. Fortunately, you just received that reminder text from us, and you still have a few hours to get ready. So… what should you do?
Hearing exams aren’t like back in college or high school where you’d have to pull an all-nighter to study for an exam. With a hearing test, it’s more about trying to remember everything you need to know regarding your symptoms. Essentially, getting ready for your hearing exam is really about making sure you get as much out of your time with us as possible.
Here are 7 easy ways to get yourself prepped and ready!
1. List out all of your symptoms and when they manifest
The symptoms of hearing impairment differ from person to person and at different times. There might be some symptoms that are apparent and others that are more discreet. So, before you come in, it’s a good plan to begin taking a few notes on when your hearing loss is most noticeable. Some things you can write down include:
- Do you find yourself losing focus during meetings at work? Does this tend to happen in the morning? All day?
- Is having phone conversations difficult? Keep track of times when it’s more difficult to understand people than normal.
- When you’re out in a busy restaurant, do you strain to hear conversations? Does that occur a lot?
- Did you have a difficult time hearing the TV? How high is the volume? And do you have a more difficult time hearing at night?
This type of information is extremely useful for us. If you can, take note of the time and day these instances occurred. At least note the occurrence of the symptoms if you can’t remember the times.
2. Research hearing aids
How complete is your knowledge about hearing aids? You don’t want to make any decisions based on false information you may have heard somewhere. An ideal time to get some valid info is when we inform you that hearing aids would help you.
You will get better information and the process will be accelerated when you know what kinds of hearing devices are available and determine what your preferences are.
3. Review your medical history
This is another time when writing something down can help quicken the post-hearing-test-discussion. Before your appointment, you should take some time to write down your medical history. This should include both major and minor situations. You should note things like:
- Medications you’re currently taking.
- Operations you’ve undergone, both major or minor.
- Any medical apparatuses you use.
- Any history of illness or health problems (you don’t have to note every cold, but anything that stands out).
- Medication interactions and allergies.
4. Loud noisy environments should be avoided
If you go to a booming rock concert the day before your hearing test, it’s going to skew the outcome. The results will be similarly impacted if you attend an airshow the day of your test. 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 accurate and reflect your current hearing health.
5. Check with your insurance ahead of time
It can be somewhat confusing sorting out what portions of your visit will be covered by insurance. If your hearing loss is related to a medical condition, some insurance plans will cover it. But not all plans will. You will be a great deal more confident at your appointment if you get this all figured out before you come in. We can also help you in certain situations. Otherwise, you can talk to your insurance company directly.
6. Ask someone to come with you
Bringing a trusted friend or loved one with you to a hearing appointment isn’t absolutely necessary, but it can provide several benefits. amongst the most prominent advantages are the following:
- When you’re at your exam, a lot of information will be covered. When you get home, after the appointment, you will have an easier time remembering all of the information we give you if somebody else is there with you.
- Even when you aren’t aware that you have hearing loss, people close to you will absolutely be aware of it. So our test and diagnosis will be determined by 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 with a hearing test, that’s not the case. 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 improve your overall hearing health. Maybe that’s a hearing aid, maybe it’s some changes to your lifestyle, or some hearing protection. Either way, you’ll know it immediately.
So, you won’t have to cram for your hearing test. But it is helpful, mainly for you, to be prepared!