Preparing for a Hearing Test: What to Note Down and Bring
In short. A standard hearing test needs no special preparation and does not hurt. What makes it more useful is what you bring: a few notes on when you noticed a change, which situations are hardest, your ear and health history, the medicines you take, and the questions you want answered.
What to note down before the appointment
- When it started. Gradually or suddenly, one ear or both.
- Where it is hardest. Restaurants, phone calls, TV, meetings, family gatherings.
- Other symptoms. Ringing or buzzing, a blocked feeling, dizziness, ear pain or discharge.
- Ear history. Ear infections, operations, injuries.
- Noise. Work, music, military service, shooting or loud hobbies.
- Family. Relatives with hearing loss at a young age.
- Medicines. A full list, including recent courses.
Some people find it helps to ask someone close to them which situations they have noticed, too.
What to bring
- Previous hearing test results, if you have them.
- Your list of medicines.
- Your hearing aids, if you already use them.
- Glasses, if you need them to read forms.
- A family member or friend, if you would like support or a second pair of ears.
On the day
Loud noise can cause a temporary drop in hearing. If you can, avoid very loud places such as concerts or noisy work for the day before the test, so the result reflects your usual hearing. How noise affects hearing explains why.
If your ears often feel blocked by wax, mention it when you book. Wax can affect some measurements, and the clinic will tell you what to do.
What happens during the test
You usually sit in a quiet booth or room with headphones and signal each time you hear a tone, even a very faint one. Speech tests ask you to repeat words. A middle-ear test may gently change the air pressure in the ear canal. Hearing tests explained describes each one.
Questions worth asking
- What do my results show, ear by ear?
- Which everyday sounds does this affect?
- Is there a reason for a medical check?
- What are the options from here, and what are the next steps?
- When should I be tested again?
You can ask for a copy of your audiogram. How to read an audiogram helps you follow it.
Key takeaways
- A standard hearing test needs no special preparation and does not hurt.
- Notes on when it started and which situations are hardest make the appointment more useful.
- Bring previous results, your medicine list and your hearing aids if you have them.
- Avoid very loud noise the day before if you can.
- Ask for a copy of your audiogram.
Questions and answers
Should I stop any medicines before the test?
Do not stop a medicine on your own. Bring the list; if anything needs to change, the doctor will say so.
Does a hearing test hurt?
No. You listen to sounds and respond. Middle-ear tests may cause a brief feeling of pressure.
Should I go even if I'm not sure there is a problem?
Yes. A test gives you a clear baseline, which makes any later change easier to see.
Sources and further reading
This page draws on the following sources.
Read next
This information is general and does not replace an examination by a qualified professional.