What Should I Ask The Audiologist?

If you’re one of 48 million Americans, you likely suffer from hearing loss. If you’re part of a smaller percentage of that group, you’ve already made an appointment with a hearing healthcare professional. While the thought of going to the appointment is often anxiety-inducing for many individuals, visiting a hearing healthcare professional is likely to be one of the most rewarding actions you can take for your overall health and well being. After all, hearing loss causes more issues than having to say, “Huh?” all the time. Untreated hearing loss can lead to social isolation, depression, anger and even cognitive decline.

Make a list of questions

The last important task you have before driving to your appointment is making a list of questions for your hearing healthcare professional, to ensure you understand everything he or she does and that you are getting the most out of your appointment.

First and foremost, write down all of your concerns. Are you worried hearing loss examinations will hurt? Are you unsure about impending costs? Are you afraid your hearing loss will get worse? Writing down concerns ahead of time will enable you to remember these concerns, which often get lost in the newness and frenzy of a visit to your hearing healthcare professional.

Do your research 

If you already know your diagnosis, it could be helpful to research it prior to attending your appointment. A word of caution — don’t pretend you are a professional on conductive hearing loss or tinnitus just because Google provided fact sheet after fact sheet on the condition. Your hearing healthcare professional ultimately knows best, however having some prior understanding to what’s going on with your hearing loss can enable you to ask more educated, direct questions.

During your appointment, after you’ve addressed any concerns, make sure to ask the three most important questions: “What is my main problem?,” “What do I need to do?” and “Why is it important for me?” These three questions will enable you to make education decisions on hearing loss solutions, such as whether or not to purchase hearing aids, assistive listening devices or both.

Follow up with your audiologist

Lastly, prior to leaving your appointment, make sure to follow up with your hearing healthcare professional in case you didn’t understand something he or she said. If anything is unclear, such as whether or not the hearing healthcare professional accepts insurance or if surgery is required, rest assured knowing your provider will be happier to provide answers to any lingering questions, especially if those questions prevent you from taking the step toward a hearing loss solution.

Armed with questions, a hearing healthcare appointment, like any medical appointment, will likely be a rewarding experience. Consider it the first step to a life where the television isn’t blaring, a spouse isn’t frustrated by lack of communication and you get to enjoy the little things, like the rustle of the wind, again.