What to Expect When You Visit the Audiologist

Visiting an audiologist for the first time can be like stepping into the unknown for many people. You might not know what to expect, and sometimes people find themselves confused when they first arrive. Of course, though, appointments like this will never be too different from one another, and this means that you can prepare yourself before you arrive. Let’s take a look at the different steps that will take place during a typical audiologist appointment.

A hearing consultation

The first stage in this process will almost always involve a conversation about the history of your hearing. Any issues you’ve had in the past will need to be brought forward, even if they are relatively minor. Your audiologist may have access to some of your medical records, giving them a deep insight into your hearing. Alongside this, though, they may also want to talk about your work and lifestyle to make sure that you’re not doing anything that could harm your ears.

A physical ear exam

Next, most audiologists will perform a physical ear examination to build an understanding of the current health of your ears. Special tools will be used to look inside your ears, but your audiologist may have other methods to perform this sort of exam. This can help them to determine whether or not you have a physical issue impacting your hearing, while also giving them a good picture of your hearing health.

A hearing test

Physical exams are good at seeing the cause of obvious issues, though they won’t be very worthwhile unless a hearing test comes with them. There are several different types of tests like this available, though most will involve having sounds played to you so that you can respond with what you hear. Tests like this are great when your audiologist wants to determine which sounds you are struggling to hear the most.

A conversation about solutions

Once you’re done with the tests your audiologist will perform, it shouldn’t take long for them to start offering solutions to the issues you face. There are a lot of different options available, from having wax cleared to using hearing aids, but you will only be offered those that will help with your condition. It’s always worth listening to your audiologist here, as this element of the process is crucial. Without the right tools and treatment, solving your hearing problems will be very hard, and this means that you need to trust the professional you visit.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to go to your next audiologist appointment. This sort of visit should be nice and easy, with very few of the methods used in this field being unpleasant or invasive. Of course, though, you need to make sure that you’re ready for anything when you visit your audiologist.