Your hearing test appointment:
How to prepare and what to expect.
You’ve made an important decision to have your hearing assessed; hearing loss is one of the most common, but neglected, health problems.Hearing loss affects your quality of life, your ability to participate fully in conversations, visits with friends, work, and family gatherings.
Before your appointment
Take a few moments to note situations and environments in which you have, or have had, difficulty hearing and understanding conversations. The most common are restaurants, parties, and TV.
Many people find it helpful to have a friend or family member with you at your appointment to share their observations and note important details.
During your appointment
Before actually testing your hearing, we will gather information. You will be asked to fill out forms, and answer questions about your hearing history, medical issues, and communication difficulties.
Your ears, ear canals, and eardrums will be examined. This is not invasive or uncomfortable. A video otoscope will allow you to see inside your own ear canal as well.
The hearing test itself will be performed with ear inserts that feel similar to earplugs. You will hear tones and words. There are several portions to the hearing test. You will be guided through each step.
Afterwards, we will review the test results together, so that you understand your hearing loss. You will be given a copy of your audiogram for your records.
If you are a candidate for a hearing device, together we will review your options and will evaluate the best styles to suit your lifestyle, ear shape, and budget, what features and performance levels you require for your listening difficulties, and any financing options that will help.
Hearing aids
Today’s hearing aids are very different from years past. Digital technology has allowed hearing aids to make huge advances, including sophisticated adjustments as your listening environments change, and seamless integration with other technologies, such as telephones and mobile phones. Aesthetically, hearing aids are now amazingly small and more discreet than ever before. There are a variety of manufacturers of hearing aids and accessories we work with. All stand behind their product and their warranties.
Your fitting
At your fitting appointment we make sure you have a comfortable fit. Your hearing instruments are programmed for your hearing loss, set to a comfortable volume level and programmed to work in your most common listening environments. You will learn how to use your new instruments, care and maintain them, insert and remove them, and how to change batteries.
After your fitting, try your new hearing instruments put in different environments. Talk to your family and friends to note how things sound. It is normal for things to sound different—give yourself time and patience to become comfortable with your new hearing. Do not hesitate to call with any questions, and make an appointment if you need any adjustments made.
Your follow up visit
Your follow up visit takes place in one week, then again in two weeks. Share your experiences and concerns with us to address any issues you experience. With information you provide, your hearing instruments can be fine-tuned to improve your listening experience. We believe in extensive patient contact during and after your trial period. We want the hearing aids to work well for you now and in the future. During your trial period we ask that you make several appointments for adjustments, if necessary, for comfortable and clear sound, and we ask that you wear them consistently for the best results. We want you to be happy with your purchase.
Maintenance and adjustments
Maintenance appointments are strongly encouraged every 3 months. This allows us to clean and check your hearing instruments, and make any necessary adjustments Keeping your hearing aids clean and dry is paramount to peak performance. Annual hearing tests are recommended to monitor hearing loss and to reprogram your instruments should your hearing loss change.