How to Prepare for Your Hearing Test

The hearing test is one of the audiologist’s most commonly requested services. For them, it’s an easy, routine procedure and there’s nothing to be worried about. However, if you have never had one before, it’s only natural you might be a little nervous and want to make sure that it goes as well as possible. For that reason, here are a few tips on how you can prepare for your hearing test.

Put together your medical information

It’s a good idea to write down, in advance, any symptoms you have had regarding your hearing but also your general health. If you can get a hold of your medical records, it can be useful to your audiologist. Chronic conditions like sinusitis, diabetes and heart disease shouldn’t be left out. It’s important to also list any medication you are on or have been on recently. This also includes things like supplements and vitamins. All this information could help your audiologist better recognize potential signs and causes of hearing loss.

Clean your ears

Your audiologist may offer to clean away any earwax that could impact your hearing test. However, if you want to keep the appointment short and focused, it’s best to have your ears cleaned in advance. You can use warm water and a dishcloth to wipe away any excess earwax from the outer ear, but avoid inserting anything into your ear canal. Do not use small objects like cotton swabs or ear candles, which can both be highly dangerous and don’t work as well as you might think. If you feel like you have an earwax blockage, your audiologist will identify this during your appointment.

Try to stay in good health

To some degree, there’s little you can about the risk of catching a cold. If you do know anyone with the cold, it’s best to avoid them and avoid catching it as best as possible. Make sure you eat and drink well to keep up your immune system. If you do end up catching a cold and you have it up to two days before your hearing test, you should call the audiologist’s office to reschedule your appointment. Colds can produce fluid in the middle ear, which can cause results to be skewed.

Bring a friend or a notepad

Depending on the results of your hearing test, your audiologist might provide a lot of information. Some might relate to potential hearing loss, as well as the different treatments they can offer. You might also receive some advice on how to protect your hearing depending on the kind of environment you live and work in. If you have trouble remembering details, bringing a notepad to write down the information provided can help, or you can invite a friend to help you keep track of everything.

There’s nothing to worry about when it comes to your hearing test. If you any more questions or you have forgotten any information you have learned, don’t hesitate to call the audiologist’s office for the answers. They are here to help you through every step of your hearing health journey and they have the experience that you might lack.