Your workplace has decided to encourage teamwork and collaboration by opening up the office floor plan. However, you find yourself struggling 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.
The inability to follow along with conversations in loud settings often acts as an early indicator of hearing loss, in spite of conventional hearing exams producing normal outcomes. You still may have trouble discerning conversations even with “Normal” hearing.
Speech comprehension is a complex cognitive process that requires substantial brainpower. Optimal hearing capabilities are required to differentiate voices in noisy environments.
As hearing starts to decline, the brain faces challenges in isolating and processing speech signals amongst competing noises. As a result, settings like bustling 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:
- Increased mental fatigue due to heightened concentration required for listening.
- When in loud settings, conversations are difficult to understand.
- Social isolation.
Hearing loss examinations
It can be particularly hard to identify these kinds of difficulties when traditional hearing diagnostics seem to show normal hearing. However, scientists are exploring innovative tests to identify early signs of hearing loss:
- The Eye Test: For this test, you put on a special set of glasses. The movement and dilation of your pupils can be monitored with these glasses. If your pupils behave in a certain way, it implies that you’re concentrating a little harder than normal. But it could be a sign that you’re straining to hear if this happens in a noisy setting.
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: In this test, a device tracks the electrical EEG signals transmitted by your ears to your brain. It will be a potent sign that you’re having some hearing trouble if these signals fluctuate in a certain way when you’re in a crowded place.
Early intervention will be possible if these tests, combined with personal observation, are able to detect hearing issues in their very early stages.
What are the benefits of early detection?
Detecting even slight hearing loss early provides two considerable advantages.
- It provides clarity with regard to challenges faced in environments like open offices, alleviating potential frustrations.
- Addressing hearing loss quickly prevents cognitive decline associated with untreated hearing impairments.
If you’re experiencing difficulty following conversations in spite of “normal” hearing, think about getting a professional assessment.
Early diagnosis assures timely intervention, enhancing overall auditory health and mental function. Contact us today and let us help you with any hearing loss you may have.