You completely forgot your hearing aid discovery test tomorrow, but that’s not really unusual, you’re very busy. It’s a good thing we sent you a reminder text so you should have a few hours to prepare. So… what should you do?
Hearing tests aren’t like those days in college or high school where you’d have to stay up all night to study for a test. With a hearing aid discovery test, it’s more about trying to remember everything you need to know regarding your symptoms. Getting the most out of your time with us is what getting ready for your hearing aid discovery test is really about.
Get prepared using these 7 tips!
1. List out all of your symptoms and when they manifest
The symptoms of hearing loss vary from person to person and at different times. Some symptoms may be more pronounced than others. So, before you come in, it’s a good plan to start taking some notes on when your hearing loss is most pronounced. Some things you can list out include:
- 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 hearing the person on the other end is more difficult.
- Was it difficult to hear the tv? Do you have it cranked way up? And do you have a more difficult time hearing at night?
- Did you have trouble following a conversation while dining out in a busy restaurant? Does that occur a lot?
We find this type of information very useful. Note the day and time of these symptoms if possible. If you can’t, just note that they did occur.
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. If we tell you a hearing aid would be beneficial, that’s going to be a great opportunity to ask educated questions.
You will get better answers and the process will be accelerated when you know what types of hearing devices are available and determine what your preferences are.
3. Consider your medical past
This is another instance when writing something down can help quicken the post-hearing-test-discussion. Before your appointment, you should take a little time to jot down your medical history. Include major medical occurrences and also minor ones. Here are some examples:
- Any history of illness or disease (you don’t need to note every cold, but anything that sticks out).
- Medical devices you may currently use.
- Major or minor surgeries that you have had.
- Medications you’re currently taking.
- Medication interactions and allergies.
4. Avoid loud noises and noisy settings
If you attend a loud rock concert the night before your hearing aid discovery test, it’s going to skew the outcome. The results will be similarly skewed if you attend an airshow the day of your test. You can see where we’re going with this: you want to protect your ears from loud noises before your hearing assessment. This will help ensure your results are accurate and reveal your current hearing health.
5. Talk to your insurance ahead of time
It can be somewhat challenging sorting out what parts of your visit will be covered by insurance. If your hearing impairment is related to a medical problem, some insurance plans will cover it. But not all plans will. You will be a lot more confident at your appointment if you get this all figured out before you come in. In some instances, you can work directly with us to get insurance answers. If we can’t, you will need to speak directly with your insurance company.
6. Bring a friend or family member in with you
There are some considerable advantages to bringing a relative or friend with you to your hearing exam, though it’s not absolutely necessary. Here are several of the most prominent advantages:
- When you’re at your appointment, a lot of information will be covered. Later, 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. This means that we will have access to even more information to help make a definitive diagnosis or exam.
7. Be prepared for your results
It could be days or even weeks before you receive the results of many medical diagnostics. But that’s not the situation with a hearing aid discovery test. Just like the bubble-sheet tests that got fed through the scantron machine when you were in college, you get your results right away.
And better yet, we’ll help you understand what your results mean and how you can enhance your general hearing health. Maybe that’s a hearing aid, maybe it’s some changes to your behavior, or some ear protection. Either way, you’ll know it right away.
So, you won’t need to cram for your hearing exam. But it is helpful, mostly for you, to be prepared!