Reasons to reschedule your hearing appointment

This is perhaps a strange concept… us, a hearing company, telling you the reasons why you should reschedule an appointment but trust us on this one!

Illness

If you are poorly, perhaps suffering with a cold, this can definitely affect a hearing test result. When you have a cold or the flu, fluid can build up in your middle ear. This blocks sound reaching your eardrum. A tube called the Eustachian tube runs from your ears to your nasal cavity and this can become blocked when you’re ill. It goes without saying that if you have an ear infection, a hearing appointment cannot be carried out until you are infection free. It’s no problem at all if you call us and ask to reschedule for illness. It’s most likely the right thing to do.

Ear wax build-up

A build-up of ear wax can give a false hearing test result as the ear wax could be the reason you are not hearing so well. Any blockages will need to be removed before a hearing appointment. If you have an ear wax blockage or excess ear wax, then it can be safely removed by a hearing healthcare professional using microsuction ear wax removal. It is a quick and pain free procedure where excess wax is sucked out of the ear. Olive oil drops should be used in your ears for a few days prior to an ear wax removal appointment to ensure that the wax is softened ready for removal.

Loud noise exposure

If you have been exposed to very loud noise within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment, you should reschedule. The exposure may give an abnormal result when the hearing care professional is testing your hearing. The kind of noise exposure we mean is attending a concert or something similar.

Medication

Unfortunately, there are some medications that can temporarily (or in rare cases, permanently) affect your hearing. A wide range of medications such as antibiotics, chemotherapy and blood pressure medication can all affect your hearing. It’s important to discuss any medication you are taking with your hearing care professional. This is also the case for any changes to your medication. Your hearing care professional can then decide on the best way forward for your hearing appointment.

Construction noise

Some people prefer to have their hearing appointments at home. If you are having construction done to your house, or even if there are roadworks outside of your house, this additional background noise can affect hearing test results. If you think there is any situation in which the background noise in or around your house will be very loud, you need to reschedule a hearing appointment. A hearing test needs to be carried out in a quiet environment to ensure accurate results.

We will always offer advice on anything that may affect a hearing appointment. We also always confirm appointments the day or two before to ensure that anything like this is caught beforehand. If you think it is time you booked yourself in for a hearing consultation, please give us a call.