How to Prepare for Your Hearing Instrument Specialist Appointment

Seeing a hearing instrument specialist for the first time can be quite daunting. You’re not entirely sure what to expect, and you have no idea how to prepare. There’s no need to worry; these appointments are usually straightforward and can provide you with lots of essential help. If you’re getting ready for a hearing instrument specialist appointment, here are a few simple things you can do to prepare for it:

Collect your medical history

As part of your first appointment, you’ll be asked plenty of questions relating to your medical history. Some hearing instrument specialists do this via questionnaires, while others will ask you the questions face-to-face. Either way, it’s useful if you have access to your information so you can give as many answers as possible, in as much detail as can be. This will only help your HIS with your specific treatment plan.

Clean your ears

Another critical part of your appointment will be the hearing tests you undertake. Here, you’ll be tested on how well your ears hear different sounds, pitches and conversations. It can be of assistance to both you and the hearing instrument specialist if your ears are clean. Use softening drops — or request to have your ears professionally cleaned — to ensure there are no wax blockages in your ear canal. By doing this, you can provide more accurate results in the hearing exams as wax build ups can often cause muffled hearing.

Research hearing aids

As their name suggests, hearing instrument specialists are experts in all things to do with hearing instruments and devices. Commonly, they help you with hearing aids. Bearing that in mind, it can be convenient if you do a bit of research into hearing aids before your appointment. Try and find information about specific features or types of hearing aid. Check online to see reviews of brands, and maybe even dig deeper into which hearing aids are best for certain people. This will arm you full of different questions that you can ask about hearing devices to your HIS. Not only that, but it means you won’t feel completely lost when they’re talking about hearing aids and all their features.

Make notes on a notepad

Of course, doing all of the three things mentioned above can mean you’re compiling a fair bit of information to take into your appointment. So, one of the best things you can do is make notes on a notepad and bring it in with you. Here, you can jot down all the info on your medical history, as well as notes on your lifestyle that may be useful to the hearing instrument specialist. This is also a great place to write any queries you have on hearing aids, and any further questions as well. It just means you won’t forget anything while you’re there. Hopefully, this gives you plenty of ways to prepare for your first appointment with a hearing instrument specialist. You might be nervous, but there’s absolutely nothing to worry about. Use this advice, and the appointment will be less nerve-wracking, and you’ll get more out of it.