Your workplace recently adopted the trend of open-office floor plans, promoting collaboration and teamwork. 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.
Even if conventional hearing tests indicate totally fine hearing, the inability to hear conversations in noisy settings is often an early sign of hearing loss. You still may have trouble discerning conversations even with “Normal” hearing.
The complexity of speech perception
Substantial brain power is required to undertake the complex task of speech comprehension. Distinguishing speech from background noise and focusing on specific voices amidst a cacophony of sounds demands optimal hearing capabilities.
It becomes increasingly challenging for the brain to focus in on speech in noisy settings as we get older. As a result, settings like bustling offices or crowded restaurants become mentally fatiguing.
How to recognize the early signs of hearing loss
Early indications of hearing loss manifest in a variety of ways:
- Increased mental fatigue due to heightened concentration required for listening.
- Distraction and reduced engagement in social interactions.
- Trouble understanding conversations in noisy environments.
Testing for hearing loss
Detecting such difficulties can be tricky, particularly when conventional diagnostics suggest normal hearing. Here are some tests being formulated by researchers to identify hearing loss in its early phases:
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: The electrical signal transmitted from your ears to your brain is monitored by an EEG in this test. If these signals fluctuate in a particular 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 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 suggests that you’re concentrating a bit harder than usual. So if this tends to occur in crowded or loud areas, it could be an indication that you’re having to strain to hear.
Early intervention will be possible if these tests, along with personal observation, are able to detect hearing issues in their very early stages.
The Advantages of early detection
Discovering even slight hearing loss early has two significant advantages.
- It provides clarity with regard to challenges faced in settings like open offices, alleviating potential frustrations.
- Addressing hearing loss quickly prevents cognitive decline related to neglected hearing impairments.
Consider finding help if you’re having difficulty understanding speech even with “normal” hearing.
Early detection ensures timely intervention, enhancing total auditory health and cognitive function. Schedule a hearing test today and look into solutions right for you.