Walking into your first audiology appointment can feel a bit daunting, particularly if you’ve been noticing changes in your hearing or if you’ve been referred by your GP. You might be wondering what to expect, what you’ll need to bring, and how to make the most of your time with the audiologist. Being well-prepared not only helps your clinician understand your hearing health more comprehensively, but it can also ease some of the uncertainty you might be feeling.
Why Preparation Matters
Your first audiology appointment is more than just a hearing test. It’s a comprehensive assessment that looks at your hearing function, your communication needs, your medical history, and your personal goals for better hearing. The audiologist will conduct a series of diagnostic tests, which may include pure tone audiometry, speech-in-noise testing, tympanometry, and in some cases real ear measurement (REM) if hearing aids are being fitted or adjusted, to build a complete picture of your auditory system.
The more information you can provide upfront, the more tailored and effective your care plan will be. This is particularly important because hearing loss can be linked to a range of medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain medications. Understanding these connections helps your audiologist make appropriate recommendations and, where necessary, coordinate with your GP or specialist.
What to Bring: Your Essential Checklist
Identification and Referral Documentation
Bring a current form of photo identification, such as your driver’s licence or passport. If you’ve been referred by a general practitioner or specialist, bring the referral letter or any related documentation. Many audiology appointments, including routine hearing assessments, don’t need a referral. A referral matters mainly in the limited situations where Medicare may contribute, such as allied health visits under a GP chronic condition management plan. If you have private health insurance with extras cover, bring your membership card.
If you hold a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) card, a Pensioner Concession Card, or any other healthcare card, bring these along as well. You may be eligible for subsidised services under the government’s Hearing Services Program.
Your Current Medication List
This is one of the most overlooked yet critical items to bring to your audiology appointment. Certain medications, known as ototoxic drugs, can affect hearing and balance. These include some antibiotics (such as aminoglycosides), chemotherapy agents (like cisplatin), high doses of aspirin, loop diuretics, and certain antimalarial drugs.
Your audiologist needs to know what medications you’re currently taking, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements, to assess whether your hearing changes might be medication-related. If you’re unsure of the names or dosages, bring the medication boxes or a printed list from your pharmacy. This information can also help determine whether ongoing monitoring is required or if a referral back to your prescribing doctor is appropriate.
Previous Hearing Test Results
If you’ve had hearing tests in the past, whether through an audiologist, GP, workplace health check, or hospital, bring copies of those results. Previous audiograms provide a valuable baseline and allow your clinician to track changes over time. Even if the tests were conducted years ago, they offer context that can influence diagnosis and management.
If you’ve previously worn hearing aids, bring details about the make, model, and how long you used them. This helps your audiologist understand what has or hasn’t worked for you in the past.
A Support Person
Hearing loss doesn’t just affect you: it impacts your communication partners too. Bringing a spouse, family member, or close friend to your appointment can be immensely valuable. They can provide additional perspective on how your hearing is affecting daily life, help you remember the information discussed during the appointment, and support you in making decisions about your hearing care.
Support persons are particularly helpful during the goal-setting phase of the consultation. Your audiologist will want to know about the listening environments that matter most to you, whether that’s watching television with your partner, participating in family dinners, attending community groups, or hearing clearly on the phone. A support person can help articulate these shared communication challenges.
A List of Your Top Concerns and Hearing Goals
Take some time before your appointment to jot down your main concerns. Are you struggling to hear conversation in noisy environments? Do you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves frequently? Are you avoiding social situations because communication has become exhausting? Have you noticed ringing in your ears (tinnitus) or a sensation of fullness?
Equally important are your hearing goals. What would better hearing allow you to do? Perhaps you want to feel more confident at work, stay socially connected, enjoy music again, or simply reduce the cognitive fatigue that comes with straining to hear. Being clear about your priorities helps your audiologist tailor their recommendations to what truly matters to you.
What to Expect During Your Appointment
At The Audiology Place, an adult diagnostic hearing assessment takes 90 minutes (our guide to what happens at a hearing test covers each step). It begins with a detailed case history, where your audiologist will ask about your hearing concerns, medical history, noise exposure, family history of hearing loss, and any other relevant factors.
Following this, you’ll undergo a series of diagnostic tests. Pure tone audiometry measures the softest sounds you can hear at different frequencies. Tympanometry assesses middle ear function and can identify issues such as fluid, perforations, or Eustachian tube dysfunction. Speech testing evaluates how well you understand words at different volumes and in the presence of background noise, which is often more reflective of real-world listening challenges than pure tone results alone.
If hearing aids are recommended and fitted during a subsequent appointment, your audiologist should use real ear measurement (REM). This evidence-based verification technique uses a tiny microphone placed in your ear canal to measure the actual sound levels delivered by the hearing aid, ensuring the prescription matches your specific hearing loss. REM is widely regarded as best practice in hearing aid fitting.
Red Flags and When to Seek Urgent Care
While most hearing changes develop gradually, certain symptoms warrant prompt medical attention. If you experience sudden hearing loss (a noticeable drop in hearing over hours or days), treat it as a medical emergency and seek urgent assessment through your GP, an emergency department or an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist. Other red flags include hearing loss in only one ear, persistent ear pain, drainage from the ear, dizziness or balance problems, or a pulsing or rhythmic sound in your ear.
Your audiologist will identify these concerns during your appointment and will refer you appropriately, often working collaboratively with ENT surgeons and your GP to ensure comprehensive care.
Accessibility and Additional Support
If you have mobility concerns, vision impairment, or other accessibility needs, contact the audiology clinic before your appointment to discuss accommodations. Many clinics can help with paperwork or allow extra time if needed.
If English is not your first language, ask whether interpreter services are available or whether you can bring someone to interpret for you. Clear communication is essential for accurate diagnosis and effective care.
After Your Appointment: What Happens Next
At the end of your appointment, your audiologist should provide you with a copy of your test results, explain what they mean in plain English, and discuss your options moving forward. This might include hearing aids, assistive listening devices, communication strategies, medical referral, or a plan for ongoing monitoring.
Follow-up care is a crucial part of comprehensive audiology services. If hearing aids are recommended, expect multiple follow-up appointments for fitting, fine-tuning, and adjustments. Hearing rehabilitation is not a one-off event but an ongoing process that requires partnership between you and your clinician.
Quick Checklist
- Photo identification
- Referral letter, if you have one
- Pensioner Concession Card, DVA card or other concession card
- Private health insurance card
- Current medication list, including supplements
- Previous hearing test results and details of any hearing aids you’ve worn
- Your top concerns and hearing goals, written down
- A support person, if possible
Final Thoughts
Preparing for your hearing test doesn’t need to be complicated, but taking the time to gather the right information can make a significant difference in the quality of care you receive. Remember, your audiologist is there to support you in improving your communication and quality of life. By arriving prepared, asking questions, and being open about your concerns and goals, you’re taking an important step towards better hearing health.
At The Audiology Place, our Epping and Forestville clinics offer full diagnostic hearing assessments, and we fit all major hearing aid brands using real-ear measurement. Contact us or call (02) 9315 8327 to book.
