Your workplace has opted to encourage teamwork and collaboration by opening up the office floor plan. However, you find yourself having difficulties in this new configuration. It’s because the elevated noise is making it difficult to follow along with conversation and not because you miss the privacy of cubical walls.
Even if standard hearing tests indicate perfectly normal hearing, the inability to hear conversations in loud settings is frequently an early sign of hearing loss. This indicates that having “normal” hearing doesn’t guarantee the capacity to comprehend speech effectively.
Speech comprehension is a complex cognitive process that involves considerable brainpower. Differentiating speech from background noise and focusing on particular voices amidst a cacophony of sounds requires optimal hearing abilities.
It becomes increasingly challenging for the brain to focus in on speech in noisy settings as we get older. As a result, settings like busy offices or crowded restaurants become mentally exhausting.
Recognizing hearing loss when it’s in its early stages
Here are a number of ways that early hearing loss can manifest:
- When in noisy settings, conversations are difficult to understand.
- Social isolation.
- The brain needs to work extra hard to comprehend speech leading to increased mental fatigue.
Testing for hearing loss
It can be especially hard to detect these kinds of challenges when traditional hearing diagnostics seem to show normal hearing. Here are a couple of tests being formulated by researchers to diagnose hearing loss in its early phases:
- The Eye Test: A special set of glasses is utilized in this test. The movement and dilation of your pupils can be monitored with these glasses. If you’re concentrating a bit harder than normal your pupils will behave in a specific way. So if this tends to occur in crowded or noisy areas, it could be an indication that you’re having to strain to hear.
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: The electrical signal transmitted from your ears to your brain is monitored by an EEG in this test. It will be a potent sign that you’re having some hearing difficulty if these signals change in a particular way when you’re in a crowded location.
These tests, coupled with personal observations, aim to detect hearing issues at their emergent stages, facilitating early intervention.
What are the benefits of early detection?
There are two significant advantages to early detection.
- Mental decline associated with untreated hearing loss can be avoided with early detection.
- It provides clarity regarding difficulties faced in settings like open offices, mitigating potential aggravations.
If you’re experiencing trouble following conversations in spite of “normal” hearing, consider getting a professional evaluation.
Early detection ensures timely intervention, enhancing overall auditory health and cognitive function. Contact us today and let us help you with any hearing loss you might have.
