Your workplace has chosen to encourage teamwork and cooperation by opening up the office floor plan. However, you find yourself having difficulties in this new configuration. It’s because the increased noise is making it challenging to follow along with conversation and not because you miss the privacy of cubical walls.
The inability to follow conversations in noisy settings frequently acts as an early indicator of hearing loss, in spite of conventional hearing tests producing normal outcomes. You still may have trouble discerning conversations even with “Normal” hearing.
Considerable brain power is required to carry out the complex task of speech comprehension. Distinguishing speech from background noise and focusing on particular voices amidst a cacophony of sounds requires optimal hearing abilities.
As hearing begins to decline, the brain encounters difficulties in separating and processing speech signals amidst competing sounds. Consequently, settings like bustling offices or crowded restaurants become mentally exhausting.
How to identify the early signs of hearing loss
Here are a few ways that early hearing loss can manifest:
- Trouble understanding conversations in noisy environments.
- Social isolation.
- The brain needs to work overtime to comprehend speech causing increased mental tiredness.
Hearing loss assessments
It can be especially hard to detect these kinds of challenges when standard hearing diagnostics seem to reveal normal hearing. Here are some tests being developed by scientists to diagnose hearing loss in its early phases:
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: In this test, a device monitors the electrical EEG signals sent by your ears to your brain. It will be a potent sign that you’re having some hearing trouble if these signals change in a particular way when you’re in a crowded place.
- The Eye Test: A special set of glasses is used in this test. The movement and dilation of your pupils can be tracked with these glasses. If your pupils react in a specific way, it suggests that you’re concentrating a bit harder than normal. So if this tends to happen in crowded or loud areas, it could be an indication that you’re having to strain to hear.
These tests, coupled with personal observations, aim to detect hearing issues at their nascent phases, aiding early intervention.
What are the advantages of early detection?
Detecting even slight hearing loss early offers two substantial advantages.
- It provides clarity regarding difficulties faced in environments like open offices, mitigating potential aggravations.
- Cognitive decline related to neglected hearing loss can be avoided with early detection.
If you’re experiencing trouble following conversations despite “normal” hearing, think about seeking a professional assessment.
Early diagnosis assures timely intervention, enhancing total auditory health and cognitive function. Schedule a hearing test today and explore solutions right for you.