What to Expect at Your First Audiologist Visit

Visiting an audiologist is an important step to take for anyone who is currently experiencing hearing loss, or who suspects they may be experiencing it and who wants to take advantage of the hearing aids and treatment options available.

You may be referred to an audiologist due to experiencing balance issues, dizziness or vertigo – all of which may be associated with the inner ear. Or you may have made a decision to reach out to an audiologist and arrange an appointment yourself, in order to explore and address potential solutions to hearing loss.

Visiting an audiologist can be a great step in taking control of your hearing health, and in experiencing the benefits that modern technologies and treatment procedures can offer. But if you’ve never been to an audiologist before, you might not know what the process entails.

Visiting an audiologist is nothing to be worried about, but it can certainly be helpful to know what to expect at your first audiologist visit.

Here’s a look at the way things are likely to play out during your first appointment.

Audiologist Preparation

Before attending your first appointment with an audiologist, it will be a good idea to take a few initial preparation steps, in order to ensure that your experience is as smooth and seamless as possible.

First and foremost, you should aim to get a good night’s sleep before attending your audiologist appointment. A key part of the reason for this is that various audiologist hearing tests will involve paying attention and concentrating on different sounds – and this will always be easier and more accurate when you’re well rested.

Prior to visiting an audiologist, it can also be helpful for you to make a list of any particular symptoms that you might want to raise during your consultation, and any questions you might want to ask. Doing this can help the audiologist to get a clearer sense of your situation up front, in addition to making it easier for them to put your mind at ease about specific subjects.

Depending on the audiologist you are consulting with, you may want to discuss any medications you’re on while arranging your appointment, as some audiologists and facilities might need you to temporarily stop certain medications in order to prepare for particular tests.

You may also be asked to avoid wearing makeup to the appointment, as makeup may interfere with eye tracking which is an important component of certain tests.

Finally, you may want to bring a loved one or friend with you for support.

Testing

An initial audiologist appointment will naturally include a variety of tests in order to help assess and better understand your situation and to offer you relevant advice and treatment. The specific tests that you undergo will depend on the particular symptoms you are experiencing, as well as the facility you are visiting.

Here are some tests that commonly take place during an audiologist visit:

• A hearing test: The first test you can expect to have done is a standard hearing test, which involves your audiologist playing you a series of soft beeps, and you letting them know when you can begin to hear those beeps.
• Visual testing: You will likely be asked to follow a moving light with your eyes. This will help your audiologist to notice abnormalities in your vision and balance during the other tests, as these can be related to the state of the inner ear.
• Testing in different positions: With positional testing, you will be asked to remain in different physical positions to see how these positions affect how you feel and how the movement of your eyes is affected, among other things.
• Warm or cool temperature or air testing: Your audiologist might gently place warm or cool water or air into your ear canals, while measuring the movement of your eyes among other things. You may find that you feel slightly dizzy during this test.

After Testing

After your audiologist has completed the initial tests and has assessed the results, they will be able to advise you on the best path forward. In some cases, your audiologist might wish to do more testing.

In other instances, they will be able to identify that you simply need a basic procedure like earwax removal. If your audiologist determines that you would benefit from a hearing aid, they will be able to run you through the different options and to get you fitted for a hearing aid that’s right for you.

Call Park Place Hearing Center today for more information at:

• Petaluma: (707) 283-7853
• San Rafael: (415) 524-7235