Your workplace has opted to encourage teamwork and cooperation by opening up the office floor plan. But this new arrangement has become difficult for you. It’s because the increased 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 frequently serves as an early indicator of hearing loss, despite conventional hearing tests producing normal results. You still may have trouble discerning conversations even with “Normal” hearing.
Speech comprehension is a complex cognitive process that involves considerable brainpower. Distinguishing speech from background noise and focusing on specific voices amongst a cacophony of sounds demands optimal hearing capabilities.
As hearing begins to decline, the brain faces challenges in isolating and processing speech signals amongst competing noises. Because of this, it becomes mentally exhausting to be in noisy environments like restaurants and bustling offices.
How to identify the early signs of hearing loss
Here are a few ways that early hearing loss can manifest:
- Distraction and decreased engagement in social interactions.
- Increased mental exhaustion as a result of heightened concentration required for listening.
- When in noisy settings, conversations are hard to understand.
Hearing loss assessments
Uncovering such challenges can be tricky, particularly when conventional diagnostics suggest normal hearing. Here are a couple of tests being developed by researchers to identify hearing loss in its early stages:
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: The electrical signal transmitted from your ears to your brain is tracked by an EEG in this test. If these signals fluctuate in a specific way while you’re in a crowded or loud environment, that could be a firm indication of some issues with your hearing.
- The Eye Test: For this test, you put on a special set of glasses. These glasses can keep track of the movement and dilation of your pupils. If you’re concentrating a bit harder than normal your pupils will behave in a specific way. But it could be a sign that you’re straining to hear if this happens in a loud setting.
Early intervention will be possible if these tests, combined with personal observation, are able to identify hearing problems in their very early stages.
What are the advantages of early detection?
Discovering even slight hearing loss early provides two substantial advantages.
- Cognitive decline related to neglected hearing loss can be prevented with early detection.
- It reduces frustration by providing clarity about the challenges of being in places like open office plans.
If you’re experiencing difficulty following conversations despite “normal” hearing, think about finding a professional evaluation.
Early diagnosis assures timely intervention, enhancing total auditory health and cognitive function. Contact us today and let us help you with any hearing loss you might have.