Ways to Prepare for a Hearing Test

If you suspect you or someone you love is experiencing hearing loss, having your hearing tested by an audiologist is an excellent way to determine your auditory health. A hearing test is a simple set of evaluations your audiologist will perform to put together a complete picture of your hearing abilities. The results will be charted onto an audiogram and will identify any possible gaps you have when hearing certain pitches or frequencies.

If you aren’t sure whether you need a hearing test or how to prepare for an upcoming appointment, consider the following tips.

Book the appointment

Taking the first steps to schedule a hearing test with an audiologist puts you on the path to treating the problem. Picking an audiologist that you have trust in is essential, not just because you will rely on them to diagnose your condition, but they can provide you with the answers should something not turn out the way you thought.

Prepare yourself

Preparing yourself for the appointment isn't about booking your hearing test. You have to give consideration to what your circumstances are and what you want out of the appointment. Think about what you want, especially if you've got concerns. It's important to remember that you tell them your specific worries relating to your hearing and what you want out of this. After all, only you know where you struggle to hear. Is it during a phone conversation, or is it during loud events? What can be beneficial would be to compile a list or situations where you struggle to hear, and this can provide the audiologist with a bigger picture of when you struggle to hear, but also point you towards a better solution.

Be in optimum health

What can be significantly underestimated is the physical health of the person with a hearing problem. You may have an ongoing health condition, or you may be taking medications that can impact your hearing ability. Remember, it's about getting the audiologist to paint a complete picture of your hearing problems, and this means that you should prepare your medical history, as well as if there are any hearing problems in the family and if you are prone to viruses or infections.

Your audiologist will perform a visual examination of the ear. This allows them to inspect your ear canal for any wax impactions or other anomalies. If you do have excessive earwax or a blockage, your audiologist will want to remove this before testing your hearing. Earwax can cause you to experience sudden hearing loss, pain and even tinnitus. Your audiologist will inform you of the condition of your ear and if there is anything more they need to examine.

Additionally, if you have an illness like a virus or a head cold that develops one-to-two days before your appointment, this congestion can impact the results of the hearing test. Contact your audiologist to discuss your health and they may recommend you reschedule your appointment so they can achieve more accurate readings.

Research the solutions

If you anticipate the results being negative and being officially diagnosed with a hearing problem, it's important to prepare yourself for these results. Far from it being a worrying time, this diagnosis could provide you with relief. But before you book your appointment, it's a good opportunity to research hearing aids. Depending on your age, you may feel somewhat anxious that you will be prescribed an implement to help you hear, but your audiologist will work with you to find the best type depending on your lifestyle and your budget. You could also discuss this with your health insurance provider to see if they can help towards the cost of a hearing aid.

As you can see, the more you prepare for a hearing test, the more you will get out of it. If you're looking to get to the bottom of your hearing issue an audiologist can guide you in the right direction. But at the same time, it's important that you get an understanding of the situation. By preparing for your hearing test, not only will you get a better opinion of the triggers, but this can help your audiologist paint a better picture of what you are going through. A little preparation can go a long way. If you have any queries, you can speak to Adirondack Audiology by calling (888) 347-5899 to get a detailed understanding of what we do, and how we can help you with your hearing problem.