Your workplace recently adopted the trend of open-office floor plans, encouraging collaboration and teamwork. But this new arrangement has become challenging for you. It’s because the elevated noise is making it hard to follow along with conversation and not because you miss the privacy of cubical walls.
The inability to follow conversations in noisy settings frequently serves as an early indicator of hearing loss, despite conventional hearing tests yielding normal results. This indicates that having “normal” hearing doesn’t guarantee the ability to comprehend speech effectively.
Speech comprehension is a complex mental task that requires considerable brainpower. Differentiating speech from background noise and focusing on particular voices amidst a cacophony of sounds demands optimal hearing capabilities.
It becomes increasingly challenging for the brain to isolate speech in noisy settings as we get older. As a result, it becomes mentally fatiguing to be in loud settings like restaurants and bustling offices.
Identifying hearing loss when it’s in its early phases
Early indications of hearing loss manifest in a variety of ways:
- Distraction and reduced engagement in social interactions.
- When in loud settings, conversations are hard to make out.
- Increased mental fatigue due to heightened concentration required for listening.
Hearing loss tests
Detecting such difficulties can be challenging, particularly when conventional diagnostics suggest normal hearing. Here are some tests being developed by scientists to diagnose hearing loss in its early stages:
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: In this test, a device tracks the electrical EEG signals transmitted by your ears to your brain. If these signals change in a certain way while you’re in a crowded or noisy setting, that could be a firm indication of some problems with your hearing.
- The Eye Test: For this diagnostics, you wear a special pair of glasses. These glasses can monitor the movement and dilation of your pupils. If your pupils react in a particular way, it implies that you’re concentrating a bit harder than normal. So if this tends to happen in crowded or noisy areas, it could be a sign that you’re having to strain to hear.
Early intervention will be possible if these tests, coupled with personal observation, are able to identify hearing issues in their very early stages.
The benefits of early detection
Detecting even minor hearing loss early has two considerable advantages.
- Dealing with hearing loss promptly prevents mental decline associated with untreated hearing impairments.
- It offers clarity with regard to difficulties faced in settings like open offices, mitigating potential frustrations.
Consider finding help if you’re having difficulty understanding speech even with “normal” hearing.
Early diagnosis ensures timely intervention, enhancing overall auditory health and mental function. Schedule a hearing exam today and look into solutions right for you.