Bring this to your appointment
The Visit Checklist
Your doctor writes notes after every visit. These questions make sure those notes capture what matters — so your experience counts, for you and for everyone who comes after you.
tinnitusledger.com · The Tinnitus Ledger · Patients advocating for each other
Visit 1 · Before trying anything
Record your starting point
- “Can you note in my chart how long I’ve had tinnitus, which ear or ears, and how I describe it — ringing, hissing, buzzing or pulsing?”
- “Can I fill out a standard tinnitus questionnaire, like the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory or the Tinnitus Functional Index, and have my score recorded?”This is the most important question on the list. A before-and-after score turns “I think it helped” into a number doctors and researchers recognize.
- “Can I get a hearing test, and have the pitch and loudness of my tinnitus matched and written down?”Usually done by an audiologist.
- “Please make sure my current medicines and supplements are in my chart.”Some medicines can cause or worsen tinnitus, and others interact with treatments you might try.
When you ask about a treatment
Get the decision on the record
- “I’ve read that some people with tinnitus have tried [treatment]. Would it be appropriate for me?”
- “If you prescribe it, can you note that it’s for my tinnitus, along with the dose and the plan for adjusting it?”
- “If you’d rather not, can you note your reason in my chart?”A doctor’s reason for declining is useful information too.
- “What side effects should I watch for — and how would I stop it safely if I need to?”Some medicines must be reduced gradually rather than stopped all at once.
Follow-up visits
Measure what changed
- “Can I retake the same questionnaire so we can compare my scores?”
- “Please note any change I report in loudness, how much it bothers me, and my sleep — and any side effects.”
- “If I’m stopping or changing the dose, can you note why?”
After every visit
Check your notes
- Open your patient portal and read the visit notes.Make sure what you discussed was actually written down. If something is missing, you can ask your doctor’s office to add it.
- Add your experience to the Ledger at tinnitusledger.com.Copy the details from your notes — never your name, and never the records themselves.
This checklist helps you communicate with your own doctor. It is not medical advice, and it does not recommend any particular treatment.