Whether you have an inkling that you might have untreated hearing loss or you simply think it is worth getting a baseline hearing test done so you can start being proactive about your health, making an appointment with an audiologist is always a good idea. If you have never had one before, you might be curious about what to expect and what exactly you should do to prepare. Here, we are going to look at a few suggestions.
Gather Your Hearing History And Symptoms
If you have had any health conditions, injuries, or other symptoms affecting your hearing health in the past, you should be ready to mention them. This includes things not just related to hearing loss but tinnitus and balance issues, as well. This context helps your audiologist better understand your needs. Bringing along a close friend or family member can also help, as they may notice things you have missed, like you turning the TV up too loud for most people.
Write Down Any Questions You Want To Ask
You are likely to have some questions that you want to ask your audiologist. Whether it is about changes to your own hearing you have noticed, risks you want to address, or even if you want to understand the key points of treatments going forward, you should take the time to write down those questions in advance. It is very easy to forget points that you want to address when you are going through a hearing exam or answering the audiologist’s questions. Making a note of them can ensure that you do not leave any questions unanswered.
Bring Your Medical History
Your audiologist is going to want to know more than just the symptoms that are affecting your hearing health, as well. To get the most out of your appointment, it is a good idea to request your medical history from your primary physician and make sure it is up to date with all current medication and medical conditions you are treating. Many seemingly irrelevant things can affect your hearing health, so do not assume that any detail is worth looking over. Be sure to bring your insurance details as well so you can get the treatment you need without any payment mix-ups.
Call If You Get Sick
To ensure that you get the answers you need from your appointment, you should ensure that your hearing is as close to how it normally is when you attend. However, certain illnesses like colds and the flu can see your sinuses fill with mucus, which, in turn, can affect your hearing to some degree. If you are sick, you may not be able to get accurate results from a hearing test. As such, it is often better to call up, inform your audiologist, and arrange the appointment for a different day instead.
Your first appointment with your audiologist is going to be a relatively simple one, and you can get a lot of answers to the hearing health questions that have been on your mind. Hopefully, the pointers above can help you feel more at ease about your visit.
