5 Tips for a Stress-Free Hearing Test

2021-01-14 Whether you have an appointment or are just considering whether to make the call, the thought of a hearing test can be overwhelming. Any sort of test is nerve-wracking, and when it’s something so personal, it’s no wonder if you are thinking about it a lot.

But fear not! Our handy guide is here to help you understand what to expect and ensure you get the most out of it.

1. Bring someone with you
It is a very good idea to bring someone with you – a family member or close friend. For one thing, having someone along who knows you will give you emotional and moral support. Secondly, they will help you remember information that the hearing care expert will share. And finally, they will give another perspective on your hearing loss – they know about how it looks from the outside.

2. Know what to expect
First, you will take a hearing screening. This is a pure tone hearing test where you put headphones on and listen to precise, clear sounds. You’ll hear a series of tones at different volumes. This determines how well you hear different frequencies of sounds.  

Next you do a speech test where the hearing care expert will say several words and ask you to repeat them. This test determines how well you understand speech.

You can try our online hearing test here – it is similar to a hearing screening, and gives you an indication of your hearing ability.

3. Prepare for success
Feeling prepared reduces anxiety and helps you get the most out of your hearing test. Try to answer these questions about your hearing, to bring it to the top of your mind:

What hearing loss symptoms do you have? How long have you been experiencing them? Is your hearing loss in one ear or both? You could also ask people if they’ve noticed any changes in your hearing

Have you had any chronic infections, injuries or surgeries related to your ears?

Have you ever had a job that exposed you to loud noise?

Do you have any questions? Write them down so you are ready to ask your hearing care expert. And here’s a top tip: arrive at the clinic 15 minutes before your appointment.

4. Now is less stressful than later
Delaying your hearing test may increase the anxiety you feel about the need to take action. And if you do have a hearing loss, delaying treatment can actually make it harder to treat. This is because your ability to understand speech degenerates more quickly if hearing loss is not treated.

With hearing loss, your nerves and brain get less stimulation. Both need stimulation to keep functioning properly, and when they lack it due to hearing loss they gradually lose the ability to discern speech. Addressing hearing loss prevents such degeneration, and also avoids having to re-learn hearing skills.

5. A good hearing care expert = Peace of mind
Wichever clinic you choose to go with, you need to feel confident about your choice. If your test shows that you do have a hearing loss, your hearing care expert must be able to suggest hearing aids that are suitable for your kind of hearing loss, your lifestyle and your budget.

HearingLife guarantees you experts who help people like you every day. We can determine your hearing level and offer a wide range of hearing aids and accessories – if you need them. We let you try out hearing aids so you can feel what it’s like to wear them and experience how well they work before you buy them. What’s more, all our clinics must live up to very high levels of service, to give you peace of mind that you’re in good hands.

Have you booked a hearing test? Find a clinic near you and schedule your hearing screening today.