How to Prepare for Your Appointment with a Hearing Instrument Specialist

Making an appointment with a hearing instrument specialist (HIS) is the best thing you can do if you feel you are starting to experience hearing loss. It’s best to get your hearing checked by a professional so that, if anything needs to be done (such as fitting you for a hearing aid), it can be carried out sooner rather than later. 

Once you have made the appointment, there are several things you’ll need to do to ensure you are entirely prepared for it. Not only will this ensure you have everything you need in place, but it will also make you feel more confident about going, especially if you have never had your hearing tested before. Read on to find out just what it is you need to do to prepare for your appointment with a hearing instrument specialist. 

Bring background information 

For your first visit with a hearing instrument specialist, you’ll need to bring plenty of background information with you. Hearing professionals need to know about your medical history and your lifestyle in order to get a better idea of what might be the issue with your hearing (if anything), as well as how to solve that problem. 

One thing you should definitely bring with you is information about any medication you might be taking. Certain medications can cause hearing loss to occur, so this will provide some insight to your HIS during your initial appointment. 

By providing the hearing instrument specialist with the full picture regarding your health, they will be able to help you much more easily, and any advice they offer will be best suited for your particular issue. 

Know your hearing needs 

Another great way to be prepared for your appointment with a hearing instrument specialist is to know what your hearing needs are. What exactly is the problem you’ve noticed that has led you to make this appointment? Be as specific as you can and your HIS will be better able to treat you. 

Problems you’re experiencing could include not being able to hear women and children as well as you can hear men, or having problems with phone conversations. Perhaps you have to turn the volume up high on your TV. 

Before you attend your appointment, spend some time noting down just what it is that is problematic about your hearing and let your hearing instrument specialist know the details during the appointment. 

Write down questions 

It’s likely that you’re going to have questions about hearing loss and about what a hearing instrument specialist can do for you. Think carefully about these questions before you attend your appointment and write them down. This way you’ll know exactly what it is you want to ask and you won’t miss out anything important. 

Although a good hearing instrument specialist will be happy to answer any questions you might have after your appointment as they come to you, it’s often better to ask them during your initial meeting so you are fully armed with all the facts you need to make a decision about your hearing loss solution, or at least to understand everything that is happening. 

Ask a friend to go with you

Many hearing instrument specialists recommend that you bring a friend with you to your initial appointment. This can be a good idea if you feel that it would be useful to have someone there to hear the information you’re being given – often it’s useful to have someone to talk to once you leave the appointment and if that person was there with you, it’s easier. 

However, the main reason for bringing someone with you is that, if you’re having trouble with your hearing, they will be able to hear for you and fill in the gaps that you might have missed. They can also speak directly to the HIS about any times they’ve thought your hearing might be damaged in some way. 

Make sure you ask your friend to come in plenty of time so they can rearrange their schedule if need be, and be there for you. If they can’t change their schedule, you’ll still have plenty of time to rearrange your appointment instead. 

Make an appointment today 

Now you know what you’re going to need to prepare in advance for your appointment with a hearing instrument specialist, it’s time to make that appointment. Contact Niagara Hearing and Speech Clinic at (855) 797-8002 to speak to one of our professional team members who can make you an appointment to suit your needs and schedule.