Your workplace has decided to promote teamwork and collaboration by opening up the office floor plan. But this new setup has become difficult for you. 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 loud settings often serves as an early indicator of hearing loss, in spite of conventional hearing tests producing normal results. You still may have trouble discerning conversations even with “Normal” hearing.
The complexity of speech perception
Substantial brain power is required to tackle the complex task of speech recognition. Differentiating speech from background noise and focusing on particular voices amongst a cacophony of sounds requires optimal hearing capabilities.
It becomes increasingly challenging for the brain to isolate speech in loud settings as we get older. As a result, settings like bustling offices or crowded restaurants become mentally exhausting.
Recognizing hearing loss when it’s in its early stages
Early indications of hearing loss manifest in various ways:
- Increased mental exhaustion as a result of heightened concentration needed for listening.
- Social isolation.
- When in loud settings, conversations are difficult to make out.
Hearing loss examinations
It can be particularly hard to detect these kinds of challenges when standard hearing diagnostics appear to reveal normal hearing. However, researchers are looking at innovative tests to diagnose early stages of hearing loss:
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: In this test, a device tracks the electrical EEG signals transmitted by your ears to your brain. If these signals fluctuate in a specific way while you’re in a crowded or loud environment, that could be a strong indication of some problems with your hearing.
- The Eye Test: A special set of glasses is used in this test. The movement and dilation of your pupils can be monitored with these glasses. If you’re concentrating a little harder than usual your pupils will react in a particular way. But it could be an indication that you’re straining to hear if this occurs in a noisy setting.
These tests, in conjunction with personal observations, attempt to detect hearing issues at their nascent phases, facilitating early intervention.
The Advantages of early detection
There are two important advantages to early detection.
- It alleviates aggravation by providing clarity about the difficulties of being in settings like open office plans.
- Addressing hearing loss promptly prevents mental decline associated with neglected hearing impairments.
If you’re experiencing difficulty following conversations in spite of “normal” hearing, think about finding a professional evaluation.
Early detection assures timely intervention, enhancing overall auditory health and mental function. Call us today and let us help you with any hearing loss you might have.