Tips for Communicating with Your Hearing Specialist and Getting the Most Out of Your Appointment

If you have an appointment scheduled with your hearing specialist, it’s important to get the most out of the session. Communication is key when visiting your audiologist. A hearing specialist will be there to guide you through the process of getting hearing aids and what to expect.

Before Your Appointment

If you’ve never been to see an audiologist before, or it’s been a long time since you saw a hearing specialist, it’s beneficial to prepare in advance. This will help you to understand what to expect during your appointment and ensure that you say everything you want to say when you visit your audiologist. Here are some steps to take before your appointment.

Write a List of Questions

Whether you’re going to your first audiology appointment, or you’re attending a follow-up appointment after having hearing aids fitted for the first time, it’s beneficial to write a list of questions. Write down any queries you have or questions you’d like to ask during the appointment. It’s helpful to have a list so that you don’t forget anything. You should always ask questions if you’re unsure, you’d like advice or you want to learn more about hearing loss or hearing aids. Your audiologist is there to help and offer advice.

Note Down Anything You Want to Talk About

Your appointment is an opportunity to talk to your audiologist. It’s really important that you feel able to raise concerns or address issues, which may be making you feel nervous. It’s also beneficial to be inquisitive. It’s good to want to find out more, especially if you’re making decisions about choosing a type of hearing aid. Note down anything you want to talk about during your visit. Your hearing specialist will be able to give you information and ensure that you leave feeling confident and relaxed.

During the Appointment

Communicating with your hearing specialist is a brilliant way to get more out of your appointments and increase your confidence. Here are some tips to take on board during your next visit.

Use Your Lists of Questions and Talking Points

Work through your list of questions and talking points and make sure you cover everything. You should never feel embarrassed to ask questions or feel like you’re asking too many questions. Your appointment is an opportunity to be open with your audiologist and talk about points or issues that you want to cover.

Be Honest

It’s important to be honest with your audiologist during your appointment. If they ask you questions, be honest when you answer. If they give you information, which you don’t fully understand or you want to find more, don’t hesitate to ask for more information or seek clarity. It’s natural to have queries if this is your first appointment, or you’re talking about choosing hearing aids or looking after new hearing aids, for example. If there are technical terms you don’t understand while your audiologist is talking, write them down and ask about them at the end or stop your audiologist and ask them to explain.

Take Notes

When you see a hearing specialist, you may cover a lot of ground in a single appointment. There may be a lot of information to absorb, and your audiologist may offer advice or share tips. It’s a great idea to take a notebook with you and take notes while they are talking. From hearing aid cleaning tips to information about the different types of hearing aids and their pros and cons, you can review your notes when you get home to enhance your understanding.

Don’t forget to get in touch with your audiologist if there is anything you don’t understand in your notes, or you have questions after your appointment. If it’s your first visit, ask your hearing specialist about the best ways to contact them if you do need advice or you have queries when you get home.

If you find appointments overwhelming, or you’re worried about missing something or forgetting important information, you might want to take your partner or a friend or family member with you. Effective communication enables individuals to get the most out of appointments with an audiologist. If you’re visiting an audiologist, it’s important to make the most of the session. Write a list of questions to ask and points you want to cover before your appointment, be honest and open and take notes during your appointment. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need advice or you have more questions when you get home.

If you need advice, or you’d like more information about what happens during an appointment with an audiologist, contact Hearing Professionals of Alabama today at Auburn (334) 539-5335 or Montgomery (334) 557-8930.