4 Questions to Ask About Hearing Tests

A hearing test is something that offers the opportunity for you to speak with a hearing health professional and ask the questions to which you really need answers. If you have been experiencing hearing loss and want to get to the bottom of why it is happening or just want to know what you can do about it, you will have the chance to ask all the questions you have and get answers from a dedicated professional. 

Sometimes, it’s difficult to know what to ask – particularly as you will want to ask the kind of questions that will get informative answers, which aren’t always the same questions that come to mind while you are arranging an appointment with a hearing healthcare provider. So, the four questions below are designed to be a good starting point in getting the answers and the help you need.

Should I Bring Someone with Me?

It is generally considered a good idea to bring a friend or family member to the appointment with you. Principally because, when a hearing health professional asks you questions about your hearing and how you handle specific situations, it is useful to have someone who can give a little more insight into what you can hear and what you can’t. You may find that if you rely on your own assessment of the situation, you’ll miss out some important information because often we aren’t aware of what we don’t hear.

Will It Hurt?

It’s useful to directly ask a hearing care professional this question, because they are going to be the best-positioned people to set your mind at ease with regard to the equipment they will use and the tests they will carry out. As long as you don’t have an ear infection, there is little reason to suspect that any discomfort should arise during a hearing test. The process is not an invasive one and any instruments used are small and delicate, so there’s no need to be apprehensive.

When Will I Have the Results of the Test?

In any test that you have, there will of course be the question of when you’ll find out how the test has gone. The good news is that this isn’t like most medical tests, where samples need to be sent to a lab and analyzed. Here, your results will be ready during your appointment and the hearing health professional will go over them with you. You’ll be advised on your next steps and may even be able to pick out a hearing aid, if necessary.

Is This Covered by Insurance?

For a hearing test, you may be surprised to learn that usually a part of the cost will be covered by hearing aid companies, so the overall cost of receiving a test and getting a hearing aid will be far more affordable than people tend to expect. Always call your insurance provider and ask whether hearing tests are covered.