Blog Post

If you’re experiencing hearing loss symptoms, or if you currently wearing a hearing aid but have noticed more trouble hearing, it may be time to visit your audiologist.

What to do before going into the office

Go into your appointment prepared to share specific questions and details with your audiologist. Try to describe the situations that you are having trouble hearing in and the level of difficulty that you are having in them. If you are taking any medications, make sure to write down the name of each prescription before going to see your audiologist, since some medications can impact your hearing system.

Consider your lifestyle

The types of activities that you engage in on a regular basis will impact the hearing solution that an audiologist or hearing professional recommends. Let him or her know the specific situations where you would most like to to hear better., like watching TV, enjoying music, hearing better at work, or attending family gatherings. If you live an active lifestyle and are often outdoors, participate in water activities, or travel, you should also let your audiologist know.

Ask about accessories and care

Ask your hearing professional about the types of accessories you need to maintain your new hearing device. For instance, you may need to purchase batteries, or learn how to empty wax traps that keep your hearing aid speaker from getting clogged. Not all hearing aids require the same time of maintenance. For instance, the Earlens Light-Driven Hearing Aid is rechargeable, so you never need to change tiny batteries. Earlens also does not have wax traps; users can simply use a clean cloth to wipe off any wax from the tip of the hearing aid that sits in the ear canal. Ask your audiologist about the best way to take care of whatever hearing aids they have recommended.

Take advantage of different hearing aid settings

Modern hearing aids offer a number of programs that users can choose from to optimize their hearing in a specific situation, like restaurants. In some cases, users can even select their programs through a smartphone app, which makes it easy to discretely change hearing aid settings in public areas.

Bring along a family member or friend

It is always helpful to bring a family member or friend along to your appointment. Ideally, the person you bring will be someone who is typically involved in your healthcare decisions and a conversational partner. Someone close to you can help ask questions you might not have considered, and take notes that you may not have had a chance to write down. When you have your hearing aids fitted, it is also useful to have a familiar voice in the room to assist the audiologist in programming your new devices based on your preferences.