Your workplace recently adopted the trend of open-office floor plans, promoting collaboration and teamwork. However, you find yourself struggling in this new configuration. Not because you miss the privacy of cubicle walls, but because the elevated noise makes it difficult to follow conversations.
The inability to follow along with conversations in loud settings often serves as an early indicator of hearing loss, in spite of conventional hearing exams yielding normal results. You still may have trouble discerning conversations even with “Normal” hearing.
The complexity of speech perception
Substantial brain power is required to carry out the complex task of speech comprehension. Optimal hearing abilities are required to differentiate voices in noisy environments.
It becomes increasingly demanding for the brain to isolate speech in loud settings as we get older. Consequently, settings like bustling offices or crowded restaurants become mentally exhausting.
Recognizing hearing loss when it’s in its early phases
Here are a few ways that early hearing loss can manifest:
- The brain needs to work overtime to comprehend speech causing increased mental exhaustion.
- Social isolation.
- Difficulty understanding conversations in loud environments.
Hearing loss tests
Uncovering such challenges can be tricky, especially when conventional diagnostics suggest normal hearing. Here are a couple of tests being developed by researchers to diagnose hearing loss in its early stages:
- The Eye Test: A special pair 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 usual your pupils will react in a specific way. But it could be a sign that you’re straining to hear if this happens in a loud setting.
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: In this test, a device monitors the electrical EEG signals sent by your ears to your brain. It will be a strong sign that you’re having some hearing trouble if these signals fluctuate in a particular way when you’re in a crowded location.
These tests, coupled with personal observations, aim to identify hearing problems at their nascent phases, facilitating early intervention.
The benefits of early detection
Detecting even minor hearing loss early has two considerable advantages.
- Dealing with hearing loss quickly prevents cognitive decline associated with untreated hearing impairments.
- It reduces frustration by providing clarity about the difficulties of being in settings like open office plans.
Think about getting help if you’re having trouble understanding speech even with “normal” hearing.
Early diagnosis assures timely intervention, enhancing total auditory health and mental function. Schedule a hearing test today and investigate solutions right for you.