What to Expect at and How to Prepare for Your Appointments
Expect to be given the time, energy and respect you deserve
At Hearing Aid Services of Antioch, we understand that your experience with hearing loss is a personal, and often sensitive one. When you book an appointment with us, you can be rest assured that you will be given the individual time and attention this process demands. You will have ample opportunities to get answers to any questions you have, and we are happy to review information to make sure you thoroughly understand it. Scheduling your first hearing exam is a big first step, and we want you to feel extremely comfortable and at ease throughout the rest of your journey.
PREPARE YOUR OR YOUR FAMILY MEMBER'S MEDICAL HISTORY
Whether you have booked an appointment for yourself or for a family member, it is important to have pertinent medical information on-hand. Just like most other medical appointments you have had, we will ask you to fill in some intake paperwork. You will want to be prepared to explain your past and current issues with your ears – including pain, feelings of fullness, tinnitus and of course your hearing concerns. Please also prepare a list of current and past medications. Certain medications have been known to be a risk factor for hearing loss, so it is imperative we take your medication history into account.
Expect a physical examination.
Before running any hearing assessments, it is important that we check your or your family member's ears for any physical issues that may be playing a role in the hearing concerns – such as earwax buildup or polyps. The specialist will use a tool called an otoscope to look into the ears for any abnormalities. You have probably been examined by an otoscope before during most routine doctor’s appointments.
Expect to be given a simple, painless hearing exam.
Depending on your hearing concerns, age and other factors determined by our specialists, you will be given a set of simple hearing assessments. Most often, these assessments involve wearing headphones in a soundproof room and expressing when you hear a noise. Some possible examinations could include:
Prepare questions, and expect to review your results.
You do not have to schedule a second appointment to review your results – we will be able to go through them immediately after the assessments are finished. During this time, we will discuss your personal hearing profile – including strengths and areas of need. We will also take the time to discuss potential treatment options. If it is recommended that we treat your hearing loss with hearing aids, we will also discuss hearing aid options at this time. If you have done any research and have a few hearing aids you think might work for you – we can also discuss how these fit your hearing profile at this time. We will work together to combine our expertise, your preferences, hearing profile, personal style, budget and lifestyle to determine a solution that will work best for you.
This is also the time to bring up any questions you have regarding tinnitus, hearing loss, or any other concern you may be having. There is no such thing as a silly question; we want you to feel truly comfortable in our office.
If you forget your question – no worries.
Call us any time after your appointment and we will be happy to answer it for you.